LIBRARY OF CONGRESS, 

COPYRIGHT OFFICE. 

No registration of title of this book 
as a preliminary to copyright protec- 
tion has been found. OEC 24 1902(? <£">£>. 



Forwarded to Order Division .— DL^r.-UHC- 
Ohito) 



(Apr. 6, 1901—5.000.) 




Class 

Book_ 

Copyright N° 



COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT. 



THE MINISTER 
HIMSELF 



OR 



The Preacher's Beacon Light 



WITH HINTS, INCIDENTS 
AND ADMONITIONS 



3 »- V 



THE REV. CHARLES SHEARD 



. . . 



Author of "Civil Law in the Ecclesiastical World" "Pointers for 
Parliamentarians" Etc. 



As a light unto my path"— Ps. 119, 105. 
"Take heed to thyself"— I Tim. 4, 16. 



€7C€XS cjEavzop 






D 



^ 



9913 



1900 

COPYRIGHTED BY 

F. M. BARTON. 



Library »f C«n«r<»«« 
TWO CtPlFS ^FCEWEi 

JUN 23 I930 



*o. 






• . • . 



Published by F. M. BARTON. 



Association Building, 
Cleveland, O. 



1031 Temple Court, 
New York, 



PROEMIUM. 



The present volume has been years in contemplation 
and is largely the result of careful observation, personal 
experience and extensive reading; hence it is an accre- 
tion and a growth. No attempt has been made to write 
an exhaustive treatise, yet no important phase of minis- 
terial life has been intentionally passed over. My aim 
has been to make an all-round book on the subject 
treated. As a circle is complete, no matter what its size 
— whether it be as small as a pin wheel or as large as a 
world — so I have sought to circumscribe the circle of 
which the Minister Himself is the central point; his va- 
rious qualifications, natural and acquired, the radii ; and 
his duties the circumference. All other matters, inci- 
dental and cognate thereto, have been held strictly in 
abeyance. 

Assuming that many young men looking towards the 
ministry, licentiates of the various churches and candi- 
dates for orders will read this publication, I have en- 
deavored to write just such a work as would have been 
invaluable to me in the earlier years of my own ministry 
and which I may consult with profit now and in time to 
come. I have also written, not for ministers of any one 
religious cult or denomination, but rather for ministers 
of every branch of the general church of God in the earth. 
In doing so, I have had frequent recourse to the horta- 
tory and didactic forms of discourse ; because these forms 
enabled me the better to make my points and applica- 
tions more direct and emphatic. 

Hoping, then, that it will be found a valuable and 
handy manual to those engaged in the sacred office, to 
which they shall turn occasionally for light in darkness 
and direction in doubt ; which shall stimulate to renewed 
efforts and cheer in moments of discouragement ; which 
will fill an hiatus in pastoral literature and supply a real 
and felt need ; I send it forth on its mission of suggestive- 
ness, admonition and helpfulness, praying that the bless- 
ing of the great Head of the Church may attend it. 

CHARLES SHEARD. 



CONTENTS. 



I. Basal Qualifications for the Office. 

II. Auspicious and Inauspicious Beginnings. 

III. Personal Excellencies and Defects. 

IV. The Ministerial Workshop. 

V. The Pulpit and its Concomitants. 

VI. The Preacher's Official Relations. 

VII. Civjc Duties and their Observance. 

VIII. Health, Exercise and Recreation. 

IX. Beacons of Warning. 

X. Quasi-Clerical Side Tracks. 

XI. The Bright Light on the Heights. 

XII. Finishing the Course with Joy. 



i 



INDEX. 



PAGE. 



Aaronic Priesthood 13 

Ancestry 11 

Apologizing for the Truth 99 

Apostles and Prophets 16 

Apparatus, Working 57 

Apparel, Proclaims Man 43 

Arrangement, Sermonic 73 

B 

Benevolences, Connectional 85 

Best, Doing 100 

Best, Supporting 135 

Bible, Studying 62 

Boards, Local Church 108 

Bodies, Ministerial 112 

Books 58 

Books, Familiarity With 58 

Brain, Fusing in 72 

Brawn 148 

Breathing 153 

c 

Call, Fact of 24 

Call, Ideal 29 

Call, Illusory Tokens of 24 

Call, Mistaken 24 

Call, To Preach -. 24 

Call, St. Paul's 28 

Call, Theologically Defined 26 

Candidating 36 

Carriage, Noble 45 

Charge, Hard Scrabble 37 

Cheerfulness 48 

Christ, The 18 

Christianity, Muscular 148 

Christo Centric in Drift 78 

Churches, Sister 113 

Citizen, Minister as 132 

Civilities, Everyday 47 

Classification, Read's 13 

Cleanliness 41 

Collection and Notices 83 

Commission, Up-to-date 223 

Community Spirit 135 

Course, Collegiate 29 

Crises, National 143 

D 

Debt, Running into 187 

Dead Line, Ministerial 249 

Declaration, Napoleon's 15 

Decorum, Pulpit 80 

Decorum, Cowper's Description 80 

Delivery, Philosophy of 99 

Deportment 45 

Diction, Pulpit 91 

Dictionary, Studying 66 

Diet 154 

Differentiation, Hood's 14 



PAGE. 

Doctrine, Sound 239 

Dolt, Natural Disqualified 11 

Doubts, Preaching 168 

Dress, Adjustment of 42 

Dyspepsia 151 

E 

Emeritus, Pastor 252 

Entanglements, Feminine 184 

Enthusiasm 220 

Entrance, Guarding the 20 

Equation, Personal 215 

Exemptions, Civic 135 

Exercise 155 

Ex Nihilo, 'Nihil Fit 10 

Expression, Facial 49 

Evangelist, Preacher as 118 

F 

Failures, Secular 27 

Faithfulness 228 

Fearlessness 226 

Filling in 39 

Forces, Marshalling 90 

Fraternities, Secular 206 

Funerals, Minister at 125 

Furnishing, Mental 29 

Fusing in Brain 72 

G 

Gesture, Pulpit 92 

Gospel, Affirmative 240 

Gossip, Parish 175 

Government, Congregational 36 

Graces, Three 236 

Growing Out 39 

Growth, Slow 72 

H 

Health, Evils from Neglecting 151 

Health, Good 145 

Health, Importance of 146 

Health, Neglecting 150 

Health, Restoratives of 158 

Heredity 11 

Hood's Differentiation 14 

Hymnal, Studying 65 

Hymns, Announcing 81 

I 

Illustrations 234 

Imagination 222 

Indolence 201 

Insomnia 152 

Institutions, Knowledge of 133 

Institutions, Supporting Best 135 

Interlinear Scriptures 63 

Introduction of Sermon 88 

Itinerant System 36 



INDEX— Continued. 



xed Themes 178 

elry, Displaying 43 

L 

rmoD 98 

Scripture 82 

ad 249 

Line, Main 198 

Lines, Parallel 202 

peculative 204 

Study 56 

Luther 18 

M 

Man and Style 93 

Manhood, Elements of.... 12 

Manhood, Hood's Differentiation of 14 
Manhood, Napoleon's Declaration of 15 

Manhood, Read's Classification of.. 13 

Marriages, Minister at 123 

Material, Old 167 

Matter, Priority of 9 

Men, Vigorous Old 255 

Mental Furnishing 29 

Merit Wins 38 

Mightiness, Scriptural 245 

Minister, as Citizen 132 

Minister, Evolution of 9 

Minister, as Evangelist 118 

Minister, at Funerals 125 

Minister, at Marriages 123 

Minister as Pastor 120 

Minister, in Politics 136 

Minister, as Voter 137 

Minister, a Workman 55 

Ministerial Bodies 112 

Ministers of Other Denominations. 113 



N 



Napoleon's Declaration 15 

Natural Selection 15 

Narcotics 193 

Nerve and Brawn 148 

Notices 83 

o 

Officers, Church 106 

Offices, Political 205 

Organizations of Local Church 108 

Originality 219 

Outlining Mentally 72 

P 

Parsimony 188 

Pastor Emeritus 252 

Pastor, Minister as 120 

Paul's Call 28 

Peroration 90 

Person, One's 41 



PA(iK. 

Piques, Personal 174 

larism LSI 

Polil us, m Inister In L36 

politics, Preaching 

Politics, Not Partisan L88 

Power, 1 loly Ghost 245 

Praying, infelicitous L7CI 

Prayer, Public 81 

ch, Beginning to 83 

Pr< ach, Call to 24 

Preach, Desire to 86 

Preach, Repugnance thereto 26 

Preaching, Censorious 163 

Preaching, Doubts 168 

Preaching, Principal Division 199 

Preaching, Sensational 169 

Predecessor, One's 102 

Preparation for Sermon, General.. 67 

Preparation for Sermon, Special... 68 

Preparation, Special for Vocation.. 30 

Priesthood, Aaronic 13 

Prophets and Apostles 16 

Prostration, Nervous 151 

Prostration, Preventatives of 153 

Puffing 190 

Pulpit Decorum 80 

Pulpit Diction 91 

Pulpit Gesture 92 

Purpose, Inflexibility of 225 

Q 

Qualifications, Physical 147 

Qualifications, Scholastic 29 

Qualifications, Spiritual 32 

R 

Read's Classification 13 

Reading 59 

Reading, What, How, Why 59 

Recreation 158 

Reforms, Social and Moral 139 

Release 259 

Rest 258 

Retirement, When 248 

Reward 259 



Salary, Talking 172 

Scripture Lessons 82 

Selection, Natural 15 

Sermon, Arrangement of 73 

Sermon, Beginning Early with 69 

Sermon, Christo Centric in Drift.. 78 

Sermon, Delivery of 96 

Sermon, Fuller Writing for 74 

Sermon, General Preparation of.... 67 

Sermon, Introduction to 88 

Sermon, Length of 98 

Sermon, Peroration of 90 

Sermon, Scripturalness of 77 

Sermon, Simplicity of Structure... 77 

Sermon, Special Preparation of 68 

Sermon, Text and Subject of 86 



INDEX— Continued. 



PAQB. 

Sermon, Writing for 74 

Sermons, First 36 

Sermons, Old 166 

Sermons, Rainy Day 164 

Sermonizing, Best Method of 75 

Sermonizing, Methods of 74 

Service, Unity of 82 

Service, Everything Orderly 81 

Services, National 115 

Services, Union 114 

Sleep 156 

Slowing Down 200 

Sore Throat, Clergyman's 51 

Sore Throat, Prevention of 51 

Speculative Lines 204 

Spirit t Community 135 

Sponging 189 

Sports, Manly 159 

Stimulants 193 

Story Telling 179 

Strikes, Labor 142 

Study, Location of 56 

Study, Light and Airy 57 

Studying 61 

Studying, Bible 62 

Studying, Dictionary 66 

Studying, Hymnal 65 

Studying, Other Books 67 

Studying, Theology 64 

Subject and Text of Sermon 86 

Successor, One's 105 

Superannuation 252 

Sympathy, Broad 238 

System, Itinerant 36 

T 

Tact 230 

Testimonials, Writing 191 

Text of Sermon 86 



PAGE. 

Theme Sources 70 

Theology, Studying 64 

Time, Biding One's 37 

Tracks, Changing 212 

Training, Academic 29 

Training, Theological 30 

Truth, Apologizing for 99 

u 

Unction 243 

Union Services 114 

Unity of Service 82 

University, World's 31 

V 

Vacation, Taking 161 

Vacations 160 

Version, King James 63 

Version, Revised 63 

Vigorous Old Men 255 

Vocation, Preparation for 30 

Voice, Cultivation of 53 

Voice, Defects of 53 

Voice, Good Speaking 50 

Voice, Properties of 52 

Voter, Minister as 137 

Vox Humana 50 

w 

Write Some, Use None 75 

Writing, Puller for Memorizing 76 

W T ork, One 198 

Workshop, Its Occupant 55 

Workshop, Light and Airy 57 

Workshop, Its Location 56 

Worrying 192 



CHAPTER I. 



BASAL QUALIFICATIONS FOR THE OFFICE. 



When God was ready to make man He had the raw 
material close at hand. Hence we read, "The Lord God 
made man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into 
him the breath of life, and man became a living soul/' 
Nature must have her sedimentary deposits and her rudi- 
mentary germs, before she can fashion with her mystic 
fingers eozoic rocks and primeval forests. A Prome- 
theus, according to classic story, requires earth and water 
out of which to knead his primitive image of the gods. 
And a Napoleon must needs have mud, before, in keep- 
ing with his boastful saying, he could create generals. 
So it would seem to be necessary, both in the highest as 
well as in the lowest order of creative skill, that the raw 
material, with its inherent and requisite qualities, be on 
hand for utilization. Clay, for brick; ore, for metal; car- 
bon, for diamond; admah, for man; and man, for office. 
Otherwise, as great a work, creative and formative, will 
be wrought in our day as was performed when God spake 
all things into being by the word of His power. In this 
finding Scripture and mythology, nature and science, his- 
tory and fable, fact and fancy are univocal. 

In the evolution of the Christian minister — since it is a 
formation and not a creation, there being no such claim 
advanced for him as is offered for the poet, "that he is 
born and not made" — there must of necessity be a man 
to begin with. This is doubtless the divine order and 
should be the order of the Church. Without this basal 
foundation and accompanying material no superstructure 
can be raised. Callings and professions are built upon 



men. As assuredly so, as that houses and cathedrals, 
which endure the test of time, are erected on solid and 
granitic foundations. The sacred calling is no exception 
to this rule. Manhood cannot be superimposed upon 
the ministerial office, but the ministerial office can be 
upon man. It must be so constructed if it is to stand. 
To reverse it is as though one attempted to place a 
pyramid apex down. A physical impossibility, but no 
more so than is the effort that has too often been made of 
ignoring the above fundamental principle in the making 
of a minister. 

The old Latin aphorism, "Ex nihilo, nihil fit" — out of 
nothing, nothing comes — is as scientifically true in its 
relation to the Ambassador of the Gospel, as it is of the 
fire mists and the star dust of Chaos, before the divine 
fiat went forth and cosmos appeared, these particles of 
primeval matter were there. Out from them have come 
the beauteous earth and the starry heavens. Even so 
the minister must come out of something. That some- 
thing is the rough, embryonic stuff called man. Is he a 
product of nature and of grace? If so, then as is some- 
times supposed, inhering in him are terrestial and celes- 
tial ingredients and we have a physical and spiritual com- 
pound. Howbeit we must say with St. Paul, "that is not 
first which is spiritual but that which is natural, after- 
wards that which is spiritual." That is, the natural pre- 
cedes the spiritual in point of order in created man. We 
are to marvel not at this, but accept it as God's revealed 
plan of the order to be followed in the making of those 
who are to serve Him and His people in the Christian 
ministry. Conversion may do much for them, and divine 
grace more, but even these cannot make up for elemen- 
tary personal deficiencies. Only the omnipotent finger 
of God stretched forth in miracle working power can 
supply these when absent. It is not, however, so 
stretched forth in these days. 

10 



The time has long- since passed when a man having 
several sons, may make of one a doctor, of another a 
lawyer, of a third a statesman, while another who is ph 
ieally weak, mentally a dolt, and practically a fool, is re- 
garded as a fit subject for the holy office and is forthwith 
inducted therein. No such a disposal of young men 
would be admissible nowadays. It would be an affront 
to human intelligence and a sacrilege to Almighty God. 
The ministry must have men of common sense. This is 
a primary demand. It is as much so as that it must have 
men of moral sense. It is self-evident that it must have 
both, if its morale is to 'be maintained. Therefore, it 
should be axiomatic that natural dolts and moral hybrids 
are disbarred from the sacred precincts of the pulpit and 
disqualified for the sacred office. 

Ancestry and heredity should count for much in the 
man who is to become a minister in the Church of Jesus 
Christ. It is conceded that the first of these, in the 
genealogy of some ministerial candidates, as someone has 
facetiously said, is "like potatoes, all that is good of them 
is underground. " And of the second, that their inherited 
tendencies are not on the whole such as are helpful to fit 
them for this holy calling. Nevertheless, in the Aaronic 
priesthood, direct descent, and that not of a doubtful 
character, was regarded as a preliminary requisite to an 
induction into the sacerdotal order. Certain it is that 
pre-natal and ancestral influences have always been 
counted as prominent factors in the case. Chaucer in 
his quaint way says, "The first stock was full of right- 
wiseness." And St. Paul, addressing Timothy, adds, "I 
call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, 
which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois and thy 
mother Eunice, and I am persuaded that in thee also." 
Even the divine man, the peasant of Galilee, so far as his 
human nature is concerned, comes under the same laws. 
Again and again the sacred writers remind us of His line- 

11 



age, and regard it no mean theme for their inspired pens 
to record His ancestry , on Mary's side and Joseph's line, 
for many generations back. 

In accentuating the desirability of ancestral and 
hereditary influences, it is not necessary to go as far back 
as William the Conqueror, or the Pilgrim Fathers. 
Neither is it a matter of all absorbing importance to show 
the pedigree distinct and uncrossed, as horsemen are 
anxious to do, in tracing back their blooded stock to sire 
and dam. Nor again, will it be found to be an irrepar- 
able defect if the ancestral tree has failed to produce 
clergymen, statesmen, merchants and orators. "The 
Autocrat of the Breakfast Table ,, may express his pref- 
erence for family men, so called, preceded by four or 
five generations of gentlemen and gentlewomen ; with 
numerous family portraits a la Stuart and a la Josephine, 
hanging upon the walls of the ancestral domicile; with 
well filled book shelves and alcoves, some of which have 
written upon the title page, "Hie liber est meus." This, 
as Dr. Holmes says, "is a first-rate fit out, its cost is 
nothing." Nevertheless, one's individual preferences 
touching his antecedents are out of his reckoning. He 
must take them as they come for better or for worse. 
To be sure, such an ancestry with such an heredital type, 
are so many propitious stages that potentially lead up to 
a v/ell rounded manhood, and are devoutly to be 
wished by those who are to assume the role of the min- 
isterial office. Still, "one may have none of these, and 
yet be fit for councils and courts" and the sacred desk. 
For notwithstanding what has previously been stated, it 
is not the length or the greatness of one's ancestry, nor 
the clear cut type of one's heredity, as it is the virtuous- 
ness of the one, and the hardiness of the other, which 
are to be desired in the prospective Herald of the Cross. 
Yet, fortunate indeed is the man whose father and grand- 
father before him gave their lives to the public ministrv 

12 



of the Word. For he shall find himself in the true line 
of Apostolic succession, and all things being equal with a 
natural bent and natural gifts qualifying him for a like 
glorious service. 

Physically the standard of the men for the ministry in 
modern times should not be below that of the Aaronic 
and Levitical Priesthood. What that was a cursory ex- 
amination of Leviticus 21, 17-21 discloses. They were 
to be the paragons of men without spot or blemish, or 
any such thing. Corresponding mental qualities were 
likewise implied. This standard should obtain to-day. 
That this may be so, the salient characteristics which go 
to make up ideal manhood should be notably prominent 
in all ministerial aspirants. They must be to insure the 
highest respect for the calling and the highest success in 
the same. Furthermore, these men should be fearless, 
guileless and magnanimous. Not effeminate, disingen- 
uous, time serving, nimby-namby, jelly-fish anthropoids. 
If the virile qualities are lacking and their places are 
taken by these inferior and less desirable properties, God 
Himself — and we say it reverently — cannot make of such 
individuals Nature's journeymen, much less courageous 
prophets and faithful preachers. 

Read, in his classification, taken from the mineral 
kingdom, calls attention to some of the different kinds of 
men there are in the world. Be it remembered that from 
these ministers are to come. He labels them according 
to the qualities he finds inhering in them. Some possess 
the properties of that dull metal we call lead. These are 
weighty, malleable, dead. They are devoid of heart, of 
pluck and of sparkle. Others are like iron. They are 
hard, firm and inflexible. We have their counterparts 
in such men as Polycarp, the Christian martyr; Wyck- 
liffe, the English Reformer; and Bunyan, the Bedford 
Preacher. Such men may be imprisoned, broken on the 
rack, or burned at the stake, but seldom are deflected 

13 



from the performance of their duty as they see it. When, 
however, they are convinced of the righteousness of any 
cause and are persuaded to embrace it, then, and here is 
what Read himself says, "They are your men of steel, 
possessing all the intrinsically excellent qualities of hard- 
ness and tenacity, and durability, and general usefulness 
of the iron man ; and, over and above these, they are 
fitted to serve some purposes which he does not. They 
are more elastic, more delicate and flexible, yet abate not 
an iota of the tenacity and hardness of the man of iron 
which they inherit as a birthright. " Such men have the 
properties requisite for Christian conquest. They readily 
take upon themselves the edge, the burnish and the 
suppleness of a Damascus blade, or what is better still 
a sword of the Spirit. Men with iron enough in them 
to keep them erect before the cyclones of public opinion, 
unmoved in the presence of gilded vice and popular sins, 
and yet with steel enough in them to bend and swoop 
and smite in defense of the lowly, the downtrodden, the 
defenseless and the degraded. 

Paxton Hood in seeking for his highest type of man- 
hood, unlike Read, goes to the animal kingdom and dif- 
ferentiates thus : "It is with men as with animals ; you 
may divide them into two categories, vertebrated and 
invertebrated. Animals remarkable for dignity and 
elevation in the scale of existence, are vertebrated or 
backboned; their backbones give them eminence and 
place: all animals to which we imply the term 'inferior' 
want this backbone and they can only crawl or creep, 
because they are invertebrated. We often have thought, 
when looking among men, that this is the greatest dis- 
tinction we notice between them — the successful and the 
unsuccessful, the principled and the unprincipled, the 
true and the false." The former, or vertebrated, are the 
men of strong personality and independence. They have 
views of their own, plans of their own, and a will of their 

14 



own. They wear no man's collar about their necks. We 
have this type of man in C'ranmer, Latimer and Knox. 
For the latter class, or the invertebrated, there is no 
place in the ministry demanded by the times. 

Another quality of manhood which is indispensable to 
men set apart to this special work is a high sense of 
honor, or what is sometimes termed "reliableness. " Mar- 
mont says of the First Napoleon, that in his confidential 
conversations with him, he drew a distinction between a 
man of honor and a conscientious man, (or as we should 
say a temporizing man) giving his preference to the 
former, because he said "we know what to expect from 
a man who is bound simply and purely by his words and 
his engagements, while in the other case we depend on 
his opinions and feelings, which may vary." David, 
king of Israel, enunciates this same truth in the Fifteenth 
Psalm, where he describes the man who sweareth to his 
own hurt and changeth not. That is, possesses that 
quality which in spite of loss, or pain, or death itself, 
swerves not. When found in any man it affords an 
anchorage to which to tie and in which to trust. It en- 
genders the comfortable assurance that no matter what 
comes that anchorage will hold and that trust will never 
be betrayed. Surely in those who become the priests of 
the most High God this exalted sense of honor should 
never be lacking. Such elements of manhood, as above 
enumerated, and men possessing them, are in demand for 
every walk in life, for every profession and calling; but 
for none more than for the Christian ministry. 

The theory of "natural selection/' as set forth by Mr. 
Darwin, and expounded by Mr. Spencer, under the cog- 
nate title — "the survival of the fittest" — may not be ac- 
cepted in all its applications and ramifications by any of 
my readers. Notwithstanding, there is a sense, both 
scientific and literal, in which it may be truthfully 
averred, that so far as a human standard can obtain, and 

15 



a human selection be made of men for the work of the 
ministry, they should be select men. The fittest from 
among all men, who have survived the numerous mala- 
dies of childhood and the accidents of youth, with rugged 
constitutions and members intact. None can be too 
choice for this vocation. None too brainy or too brawny. 
In filling the ranks of those who are to stand before 
kings and guard royalty the picked men of a nation are 
taken. The Queen, the Czar, and the Emperor, must 
have the most able bodied men, the best favored, and the 
most symmetrical in person that are to be found in all 
their realms. Such should be the King's ambassadors 
and the King's armor bearers. Men like Saul and David 
and Elijah, goodly to look upon, with natural strength 
unabated, well formed and fully developed. That such 
men are needed, out of whom to evolve ministers, a 
moment's reflection and consideration will make clear. 
Take any of the prophets under the Old Testament dis- 
pensation or of the apostles under the New Testament 
regime. What manner of men were they before they 
became prophets and apostles? Say, for example's sake, 
such illustrious characters as Moses, Joshua, Daniel, 
Isaiah, Peter, James, John, Paul? Divest any one of 
these prophets or apostles of their sacred vestments and 
what do we find? 

In Moses smiting the tyrannical Egyptian, defending 
the helpless daughters of Jethro and assisting them to 
water the flocks of their father, on the slopes of Horeb, 
we have a sublime exhibition of chivalry, valor and cool- 
ness, qualities which were needed in the ambassador oi 
Jehovah, at the court of Pharaoh, King of Egypt. With- 
out these he could not have calmly announced to that 
monarch, The "I Am" sent me, or thundered into his 
deaf ear his Lord's message, "Let my people go." 

Daniel, the Hebrew hostage, in the palace of the great 
King Nebuchadnezzar, refusing to defile himself with the 

10 



meat and the wine from the king's table, manifests those 
same qualities oi persona] independence and daring 

which in after days nerved liim to pray according to his 
enstom, at morning, noon and night, with his window 
open toward Jerusalem, to defy the king's mandate and 
heard the monarehs of the forest in their imprisoned den. 

John the Baptist, the forerunner of our Lord, is alone 
in his rugged qualities of manhood which suitably cor- 
responded to his ruggedness of manner and dress. Here 
again the man precedes the divine herald. Physically 
strong, vigorous and invincible. He comes suddenly 
upon the stage of action and like a Titan levels all before 
him. His burning words and sledge hammer blows 
savor more of the desert than the palace. His one om- 
nific command "Repent" he utters in the spirit and power 
of Elijah. No wonder Herod beheaded him, for this was 
the only effectual way of silencing him. And yet his 
native characteristics — steadfastness, brusqueness and 
unflinching courage — were w r hat made him in the lan- 
guage of his Lord, "A bright and shining light and the 
greatest of woman born." 

Peter, the impetuous, rash and reckless — attributes 
which at times made him as resistless and ebullient as a 
mountain cataract — was the same intrepid soul after his 
conversion and as a disciple of the Christ, as he was as 
a fisherman on the tempestuous sea of Galilee. Without 
this fearless dash as a man he could never as a preacher 
have charged home upon the Jew r s, in their own chosen 
capital city, the murder of the Lord of life and glory. 

Another notable example is found in Saul of Tarsus, 
afterwards Paul the Apostle. Prominent in him were 
the elements of conscientiousness, fearlessness and per- 
severance. Without these in large measure he could 
never have passed unscathed and unmoved through the 
varied vicissitudes of his most eventful life, to close it 

17 



with that triumphant paean, "I have fought a good fight, 
I have finished my course, I have kept the faith." 

If other and more modern examples are desired,, they 
are not far to seek. What shall I say of Luther, the 
miner's son? Were not his leonine properties in evi- 
dence long before he became the monk that shook the 
world, or the lion of the Reformation? Did he all at 
once, after his ordination to the priesthood, become bold 
enough to burn the Pope's bull, or dare to go to Worms 
though there were as many devils as titles on the house- 
tops? By no means. We simply see in him at these 
periods the man clothed with divine authority, not simply 
a man, but a man of God. Time and space would fail 
me, were I to limn at length Whitefield, the hostler, 
Wesley, the Oxford student, Livingstone, the piecer boy, 
Carey, the cobbler, and numerous others, who long be- 
fore God called them to the greater work of ministering 
in His name; in field and in factory, in shop and in 
classic halls, gave unmistakable proof that the raw ma- 
terial of manhood was there, out of which God by His 
Gospel, His Grace and His Providence, might make 
flaming heralds of the Cross. 

One there is, however, though not strictly in this cate- 
gory, yet who, on account of his humanity, may be 
placed there. As will readily be anticipated, allusion is 
here made to the Christ, who (before and after He had 
entered upon His public 'ministry was sui generis. The 
Man. That one concerning whom Pilate could give no 
grander appellation and ejaculate no higher encomium 
than "Ecce Homo" — "behold the man." From His in- 
carnation a most unique character. The truest repre- 
sentative of the noblest manhood which the world thus 
far has witnessed. Surpassing even the lofty and poetic 
descriptions as given by Shakespeare, Milton and 
Young. A perfect balance in Himself of apposite qual- 
ities. A composite of all that is grand and noble and 

18 



sublime in man. and all that is gentle, sweet and good in 
woman. Mark His candor. His independence, His tact, 
and His courage, on the occasion when the Jews seeking 
to entrap Him, brought him the Roman denarius with 
the wily query on their lips, "Master, is it lawful to give 
tribute unto Caesar?" Or His native wit, His inexor- 
able firmness and His masterful and fearless retort, when 
the sanctimonious priests brought to the tribunal of His 
personal judgment the unfortunate woman taken in the 
act of adultery. Well might they in the presence of 
such a man and such a judicial decision depart one by 
one. leaving the culprit alone in the presence of her 
Judge and Maker to hear her sentence in the words, 
"Neither do I condemn thee; go, and sin no more." 
Bishop Henry W. Warren very succinctly and forcibly 
observes of the Christ, "He brought down a nature so 
vast that no one ever understood it ; a knowledge so 
penetrating that men were amazed at His questions and 
answers when he was only twelve years old ; so broad 
that only men skilled in casuistry, laying traps to catch 
Him in His words and framing horns of dilemna to toss 
Him, were always caught and tossed themselves, till at 
length it was said, "After this durst no man anymore ask 
him any questions/' It has been the frolicsome delight 
of mere dialecticians for two thousand years to read how 
the Man of Galilee used up the proud Pharisees and Sad- 
ducees. Here, then, is what we find has been and must 
ever be, if God's order is followed in making up the per- 
sonnel of the Christian ministry ; first the raw material — 
man, and afterwards the official and more finished pro- 
duct — the minister. For with Locke it may be unhes- 
itatingly affirmed "that God when he makes the prophet 
does not unmake the man" but rather takes him as he 
finds him, with all his physical and mental idiosyncrasies 
and consecrates him for higher service. The sum total 
of all of which is, when briefly stated, that those in 

19 



authority should lay hands suddenly on no man to press 
him into the office and work of a minister in the Church 
of Jesus Christ. But rather that their hand be laid upon 
the door of admission that they may keep it closed 
against the incompetent, the self seeking and the un- 
manly. 

In closing this chapter I am constrained to observe 
that it was never so necessary as now, that constant, 
vigilant and jealous care should be exercised by all 
persons in the various ecclesiastical bodies, charged 
with the high commission of guarding the gate through 
which men must pass to ministerial functions in the 
Church of God. Most, if not all, of the denominations, 
require some preliminary steps to be taken by men seek- 
ing admission to their inner courts and priestly offices. 
They have standards of physical, literary and moral re- 
quirements, none of which, so far as I have examined 
them are too exalted or too exacting. If then, unqual- 
ified and inferior men are admitted, through sympathy, 
favoritism, or lack of due diligence, the gate-keeper, 
whoever he is, whether bishop, presiding elder, or ex- 
aminer — lay or cleric — is responsible, and should be 
held to a strict account by the Church he represents. 
For here is the place and time to keep out incompetent 
men, since it is always easier to keep out than to put out. 

The Rev. J. M. Buckley, D. D., writing on this sub- 
ject, aptly and truthfully remarks, "Many facts show us 
that there never was so much need for care in the admis- 
sion of men to the ministry as to-day. All varieties of 
applicants should be thoroughly examined. Mere knowl- 
edge, without common sense, without evidence of a 
serious character and a genuine call to preach, may 
simply be the introduction of a person whose influence 
will be bad, or whose impulsiveness will lead him into 
disgraceful complications. * * * Surely the admission 
of a man to membership in such a body as an Annual 

20 



Conference, whereby he has a claim for employment and 

for support, should be as Carefully decided as his admis- 
sion into a mutual benefit insurance association. Even 
more closely should he he scrutinized, for morality and 
religion do not enter into the calculations of such so- 
cieties, except as they might have a bearing upon the 
probable length of a man's life. While the work of a 
minister, to be successful, requires a strict morality, a 
spiritual readiness, a doctrinal soundness, a disciplined 
mind, discretion, and a lifelong devotion. '' And yet the 
utmost care and wisdom should be employed, lest in bar- 
ring the way against undesirable applicants, worthy and 
God appointed men, by reason of temporarily impaired 
health, imperfect preparation, or technical defect, should 
be shut out likewise. Nevertheless, on account of the 
present tendency to laxity, indifference and softness, (I 
had almost said cowardice) it is pertinent to repeat and 
emphasize the exhortation, keep out of the sacred office 
all inferior, incompetent and unworthy men. 

While, then, attention will be invited in the chapters 
which are to follow to various other qualifications — 
natural and acquired — requisite to the making of an 
acceptable minister of Jesus Christ; and while the most 
efficient w r ay of executing and discharging his many and 
delicate duties will be pointed out, yet it will be noticed 
that, as in this chapter, so throughout this volume, the 
stress is again and again laid upon the necessity of man- 
hood, per se. For after all has been said and done, it 
will be discovered that it is not the man's tools or the 
man's weapons, so much as it is the concrete being that 
uses the one and wdelds the other, which does the execu- 
tion. The preacher's sermons may be models of excel- 
lence, his visits numerous, his logic conclusive and his 
eloquence convincing, but it is the man that God calls 
and that God uses. All history and all experience 
demonstrate this. Being, with Him, is more than the 

21 



mere incident of doing, and human character, than the 
mere accident of training. Therefore, the man is more 
than the scholar, or the orator, or the pastor. He is God's 
noblest work, possessing like attributes, and is only a 
little lower than the clohim. Hence, when he stands forth 
as the representative of the Almighty, whether it be in 
the rugged characteristics of a John the Baptist, or with 
the milder traits of a John the Beloved, he should be the 
manliest of men. 

"Turn, turn my wheel : Turn round and round 
Without a pause, without a sound ; 
So spins the flying world around. 
This clay well mixed with marl and sand, 
Follows the motion of the hand ; 
For some must follow and some command, 
Though all are made of clay." 



22 



CHAPTER II. 



AUSPICIOUS AND INAUSPICIOUS BEGINNINGS. 



Is there such a thing as a call to preach? If so what 
is its force and how does it operate? Whence does it 
come and from whom? These are some of the interroga- 
tions which, like sentinels at the gate of a citadel, chal- 
lenge men at the very threshold of the ministerial career. 
That there has been such a call has been the universal 
consensus of opinion in the Church of God from time 
immemorial. That this call, when of the right kind, is 
both personal and peremptory, is also generally con- 
ceded ; while no truly devout soul doubts that it is from 
within and without, from above and below, from God and 
the Church. 

St. Paul's asseveration that "no man taketh this honor 
unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron" 
is indicative, at least, of what should be, even though it 
does not always come to pass. It is both reasonable and 
scriptural. The Master himself received such a call at 
the Jordan, if not before when a boy of twelve years in 
the temple at Jerusalem. He gave public notice of this 
call when He read His great commission from the proph- 
ecy of Isaiah, on the sabbath day, in the synagogue at 
Xazareth, at the same time declaring "this day is this 
Scripture fulfilled in your ears." Surely the Spirit of the 
Lord God was upon Him, and He -was anointed to preach 
good tidings unto the meek, to bind up the broken 
hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and the open- 
ing of the prison doors to those who are bound, in a sense 
in which no other man has ever been. Yet our antitype 
is outlined here and His call represents ours. 

23 



That some men who have entered the ministry have 
mistaken their calling is obvious. How this transpired is 
not always so clear. Wordly Wiseman says, God called 
others but these men heard and answered. A shrewd 
way of relieving God of the responsibility, but not alto- 
gether satisfactory as an answer. Whether this is so or 
not, it is evident that there are some in the pulpits of all 
the Churches, who, judged from a human standpoint, 
have but few gifts or graces for the position. So far as 
outward appearances are trustworthy data they were 
never called to preach the Gospel. It therefore behooves 
all young men before entering this profession to make 
themselves doubly sure that they are called of God to it. 
A misconception at this point is disastrous, if not fatal. 
Better, like the king of the parable, go to war without 
computing the enemy's strength, or begin to build a 
house without counting the cost, than without a divine 
commission undertake to lead God's hosts and fight 
God's battles. This, moreover, because there are so 
many signs and so many hallucinations which are often- 
times interpreted to mean a "call to preach." 

Few persons, perhaps, will be so self-deluded, as to 
read into every striking event that may transpire in their 
personal history, or even every vision and dream they 
may have, as a colored brother did, a call to this office. 
If so some wiser and more practical brother may read 
therein a call to a more menial work. The story is told 
of a colored man who much preferred the pulpit to the 
plantation, and who solemnly informed a worshipping 
congregation, from whom he hoped to obtain a recom- 
mendation for license to preach, that he had been unmis- 
takably called to the ministry in a vision of the night. In 
the vision, he said, he beheld the heavens illuminated and 
written, as on an open scroll, in lines of living light, ap- 
peared the letters G. P. C. In his ecstatic state, after pon- 
dering for some time as to what these might mean, he 

24 



interpreted them as standing for the first letters of the 
words, "Go Preach Christ." This, to him, constituted 
his call. For, said he, with a ring of triumphant assur- 
ance in his question, "What can G. P. C. mean but 'Go 
Preach Christ'." Imagine then his dismay and chagrin, 
when erne of the deacons, who did not take much stock 
in visions and dreams and less in the brother's preaching 
ability, gravely arose and said, "Our young brother is 
mistaken ; he did not read the handwriting correctly, for 
according to the revelation that is given to me, G. P. C. 
does not mean 'Go Preach Christ/ but 'Go Pick Cotton'," 
and he went. Of course, there is a blending in this inci- 
dent of the serious and the comical, the sublime and the 
ridiculous. To many readers of these pages, it may ap- 
pear well nigh incredible that any rational being should 
allow himself to be deceived, or should seek to deceive 
others, by any such legerdemain. But it has often been 
so. Men desiring to make the ministry their life work 
have read into their predilections, special providences, 
visions of the day and dreams of the night, a call thereto. 
If the question should here arise, which doubtless it 
will, "Is no account then to be taken of a personal desire 
to preach"? I answer, Yes. Furthermore, a strong 
preference and leaning toward this vocation should be 
carefully considered and duly recognized. I have dis- 
covered, however, in the examination of candidates for 
license to preach, that often when advertance has been 
made to their call to the work, some of them have seemed 
to minify their own favorable feelings and individual 
wishes in the premises. Why they did this, I never have 
been able fully to discern, unless it was that they labored 
under the impression that if they confessed to a desire to 
preach, this would be evidence of itself of their unfitness 
and that they had received no divine call. On the other 
hand, others have seemed to think that if they only af- 
firmed, with some degree of warmth, that they had a 

25 



natural shrinking from the work, amounting almost to 
an abhorrence for it, and that they would rather do any- 
thing else under the sun, that this avowal and the em- 
phatic manner in which they made it, were indisputable 
testimony of their fitness and a valid credential of their 
divine commission. 

Such reasoning about one's call is altogether falla- 
cious, notwithstanding it has found advocates among 
some of the leading magnates of the Churches. Our posi- 
tion is this — since the call is human as well as divine — it 
may be as providentally indicated by one's longing to 
engage in God's service, as when it comes at the sug- 
gestion or invitation of another. While we cannot strict- 
ly speak of volunteers in this sphere, any more than we 
can of drafted men, yet the middle course lies open to us,. 
Men may find themselves with a natural bent for the work 
toward which God is drawing them, and not distinguish, 
for the time being, the natural inclination from the 
heavenly constraint. Professor George Adam Smith, of 
Scotland, corroborates this view. In his Coimmentary on 
Isaiah, he makes the following statements : "Isaiah got 
no call in our conventional sense of the word. After pass- 
ing through the fundamental religious experiences of for- 
giveness and cleansing, which are in every case the indis- 
pensable premises of life with God, Isaiah was left to 
himself. No direct summons was addressed to him, no 
compulsion was laid upon him ; but he heard the voice of 
God asking generally for messengers, and he on his own 
responsibility answered it for himself in particular. So 
great an example cannot be too closely studied by candi- 
dates for the ministry in our day. There are men who 
pass into the ministry, by social pressure, or the opinion 
of the circles they belong to, and there are men who 
adopt the profession simply because it is on the line of 
least resistance. From which false beginnings rise the 
spent force, the premature stoppage, the stagnancy, the 

26 



aimlessness and heartlessness which arc the scandals of 

the professional ministry, and the weakness of the Christ- 
ian church in our day. (iod will have no driftwood for 
his sacrifices; no driftmen for his ministers. Self-conse- 
cration is the beginning of his service ; and a sense of our 
own freedom and onr own responsibility is an indispen- 
sable element in the act of self-consecration. We — not 
God — have to make the decision/' 

Emphasis is sometimes placed upon the fact that 
men have tried law, medicine, and various other profes- 
sions and trades, before turning- their attention to the 
pulpit, and failed in each and every one. Immediately 
they have jumped to the conclusion their failures meant 
that they must preach the gospel. Suffice it to say, that 
too often in these cases, they have proved to be more con- 
spicuous failures in this last, than in any of their former 
avocations. The fact then remains that an inclination for 
or against preaching, success or failure in any other call- 
ing, as signs of a divine call, when taken alone may be 
misleading or otherwise. Ordinarily, we would regard 
a desire to preach and former success in business as more 
favorable remarks of a call to the ministry, than their op- 
posites. They are more trustworthy. They are clearly 
indicative of a solicitude and an ability which prognosti- 
cate success in the Lord's service, as they proved to be 
in secular pursuits. But no will o' the wisp must be fol- 
lowed here, it must be a heavenly beacon, a pillar of fire, 
which goes before the chosen of the Lord. If it is not, 
then instead of a clear, unclouded pathway and a life of 
delightsome labor, it will be uncertain groping and a 
painful drudgery all through one's ministerial career. 
Hence, we reiterate, a genuine call to preach is subjective 
and objective, personal and peremptory, from God and 
the Church. 

Most religious bodies now require that candidates 
for their ministries shall be so called. Some go further 

27 



and exact from all candidates a solemn affirmation that 
they feel themselves inwardly moved by the Holy Ghost 
to preach, before they are admitted to the sacred office. 
True, these Churches are not so unanimous as to the 
mode or manner of the call, as they are to the fact. In 
the Disciplines and Theologies of the various religious 
denominations extant are to be found whole paragraphs 
and chapters descriptive and explanatory of the nature 
and manner of this call. These paragraphs and chapters 
contain much that is valuable and helpful to the conscien- 
tious neophyte and to examining committees. These 
books explain what is meant by an ordinary call and a 
call extraordinary ; a natural call and a call supernatural. 
The foregoing doubtless are two sets of labels for the 
same articles. Without dwelling at length on these, it 
will be found more satisfactory to present a concrete case 
of a divine call, which will cover all points touched upon 
thus far under this head. 

The case we cite is that of St. Paul. Hear his con- 
fession, "Woe unto me if I preach not the Gospel." From 
this confession it is conclusively clear that necessity was 
laid upon him from above to proclaim the Gospel of 
Christ, and that there was no doubt in his own mind that 
he must do it, as evidenced by the personal pronoun "J." 
Furthermore, he was confident that condemnation, loss 
and woe would attend him, unless he was obedient to this 
call. On another occasion he thanked Christ Jesus for 
having put him into the ministry, and counting him 
worthy of being a co-worker with his Lord in the re- 
demption of the race. The inference is that he did not 
put himself there, neither was he put there by any deacon, 
presbyter, or bishop, but by his Lord and Master. This 
only can be the meaning of the words, "Go thy way for 
he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before 
the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel/' spoken 
by the Lord to Ananias, concerning Paul; and the 

28 



apostle's own language when he affirmed, "and the minis- 
try which I have received of the Lord Jesns, to testify the 
spel of the grace of God." When the Church at An- 

h, under the direction of the Holy Ghost, formally 
set him apart by the laying on of hands, to the work to 
which he had been divinely anointed, then his call to the 
ministry of the word was complete. 

This Pauline call is ideal. In its brevity and sim- 
plicity, its clearness and directness, it surpasses all the 

juisitions which have ever been written on a call to 
preach, and all the examples ever cited as illustrations of 
the same. Therefore, such an assurance of a call to the 
work of the ministry as this should be desired and sought 
after by the subject himself, and should be acceptable to 
the Church into whose fold he goes to shepherd a flock. 
Xo other call should be heeded, no other call should be 
demanded, and with no other call should the candidate 
or the Church be satisfied. 

After God has called and like Samuel, answer has 
been made, — "wSpeak Lord for thy servant heareth" — 
then unless one has already attained it, he should tarry 
long enough to secure the best and most thorough men- 
tal preparation possible for his work. It should be borne 
in mind constantly that the era of uneducated ministers 
has passed, and that we are living in an age and in a land 
of schools and colleges. Hence, one should act accord- 
ingly, and if it is within his power obtain a full college 
course to fit him for his life's work. Such a course is 
most desirable. It gives one a knowledge of the master- 
pieces of antiquity. It makes him a man of power in 
whatever community he may settle. For "knowledge is 
power, " as Lord Bacon says, even though it be a knowl- 
edge of Greek roots and logarithms. But a full collegiate 
course is desirable, further, because it gives a man a 
thorough discipline. It exercises his reasoning faculties 
and teaches him how best to use them in post-graduate 

29 



days. It enlarges his intellectual horizon. There accrue 
from it a fine polish and finish which are lacking ordin- 
arily in those who are deprived of its advantages. That 
one has successfully passed through college will often be 
a sufficient recommendation to pass him up and on in his 
profession. His diploma becomes his passport. He 
has the prestige of his Alma Mater back of him, and his 
fraternity influence constantly operating in his favor. His 
chances in the race for honor and for position and recog- 
nition are thus greatly augmented. As a preacher, his 
congregation will have for him a profounder respect, if 
not reverence, on this account. Hence, one should strive 
to go to college. 

However, if this course is not within reach, at least 
one should manage to graduate from a first-class 
academy. Following this up with a course of study in a 
theological seminary of the Church of which he is a mem- 
ber, and into whose ministry he expects to enter. I am 
aware that some educators in the Church would advise 
academic and collegiate training in preference to the 
academic and theological, where but two out of the three 
institutions of learning can be attended. Yet, accepting 
the well founded principle, which has been fully estab- 
lished, that for special trades and professions special 
training is requisite; I advocate the training of the 
theological seminary for coming ministers. I do this on 
the same grounds and for like reasons that I would advo- 
cate the law school for the coming lawyer, clinical 
lectures for coming physicians, and the carpenter's bench 
for the would be carpenter. That the drift of our educa- 
tional processes is more and more in the direction of 
special preparation for special work, is self evident. This 
is most clearly evinced by the changes that have taken 
and are now taking place in the curriculla of our colleges, 
by which "electives" are being substituted for the old 
stereotyped courses. 

30 



Then, again, it should not be Forgotten that the 
"classical course" in the academy of today is equivalent 
to the college course of a quarter of a century ago. It 
furnishes an opportunity of gaining a fair amount of 
knowledge oi Greek, Latin and the higher Mathematics. 
This course, supplemented by the theological seminary 
studies in Hebrew and Theology, will give the theologue 
a good mental furnishing with which to begin ministerial 
housekeeping. Nevertheless, it is wise to plan to go 
through all of the schools, from the kindergarten to the 
university ; for no preparation can more than fit a 
preacher for the work to which he is called, as will be 
more fully realized by him in after years than when just 
beginning his public career. 

But even though some men should be so fortunate 
as to have the culture of all the schools above mentioned, 
if the root of the matter is not in them, they will discover 
that there are graduates from the "World's University" all 
about them, who with a genius for public speaking and a 
thorough devotion to divinity will accomplish more for 
God and humanity, than some other man with their 
scholastic degrees, who are lacking in this respect. Other 
things being equal this should not happen. If it has in 
the past, it should not deter us from so equipping our- 
selves, so that it shall not happen again so far as we are 
concerned. In order that this may be so, one will need 
to do something more than rest upon his oars and glide 
placidly along, satisfied with the progress already made. 
The ocean of knowledge, as well as the truth, lies before 
us. To reach it and explore it we must needs pull against 
wind and tide. In other words the education thus far 
received has been preparatory. To make progress and 
become a master, one must be a student all the days of 
his life, and study must be co-extensive with his ministry. 
Neither should he be content with simply keeping abreast 
of the times, but forge ahead of them. Whether we shall 

31 



do this or fall back to the rear will not depend upon what 
school we attended, but what we actually are as scholars. 

The absence of a collegiate or an academic training 
must not, however, stand as an insuperable 'barrier to the 
work of the ministry, if the call is clear, positive and per- 
sonal, and the higher schools for any reason cannot be 
attended. While an educated ministry has always been 
demanded, and never more than now, yet there have 
always been many, and those among the most practical 
and efficient workmen, who did not acquire their skill in 
the schools. From the time that the Pharisees scorn- 
fully asked concerning the Christ, "How knoweth this 
man letters, having never learned"? to the present, there 
have been those who, like the Master, did not come to the 
ministry by way of the colleges, but of the shops, of the 
farm and of the factory. As he was called directly from 
the carpenter's bench, and Elisha directly from the 
plough, and Levi directly from "the receipt of custom" 
to be leaders and prophets, teachers and preachers, so 
have countless others, whose shoes latchets many of us 
are not worthy to unloose. And yet, notwithstanding, 
the formulated and regular order of the Church should be 
followed, and it should require both a clear call and a. 
thorough preparation before it gives its endorsement and 
issues its commission to any one to preach the Gospel. 

There is another phase of preparation for the minis- 
try which should not be entirely passed over here. It 
may be differentiated from the former by the descriptive 
word spiritual To be sure it is implied in one's call to 
preach and assumed when the mental furnishing is 
taking place. Nevertheless, it is not always present. 
Hence the reason for noting it in this connection. The 
culture of the schools is largely a man made requisition 
which must foe met, to some extent, before the Churches 
will invest men with authority to preach. The culture 
which spiritually fits for this work is largely of the closet. 

32 



It comes by fasting and prayer. St. Paul lays stress on it 
in his instructions to Timothy. Tt is of the soul rather 
than the head, and consists in the divine anointing and 

the unction of the Holy One. Our Lord, when He had 
finished His own earthly mission and was about to con- 
secrate his successors that they might carry it forward, 
commanded them that they should not start forth to its 
accomplishment until they had been endued with power 
from on high. Consequently, they tarried at Jerusalem 
until they received the baptism of the Holy Ghost and of 
fire. Then they were ready to go anywhere and preach 
Christ and Him crucified. Need I say that this spiritual 
preparation is paramount to all others? With it the man 
in the pulpit is a giant ; without it he may be a Samson 
intellectually, but he is a Samson shorn of his locks. Can- 
didates for the ministry may not be able to command all 
the physical, mental and scholastic excellence for them- 
selves, which have thus far been enumerated. This last 
and most important is obtainable by all. It may be had 
in answer to earnest importunate prayer. Ask, then, and 
receive. 

The call answered and the most feasible all-round 
preparation made, the next initiative is beginning to 
preach. First sermons are always regarded, both by 
preachers and listeners, as great events. Sometimes be- 
cause of their length and sometimes because of their 
breadth, and again because of the success or failure at- 
tending them. It is well if their chief characteristics are 
clearness, simplicity and brevity. A good maxim to fol- 
low is not to put the fodder too high for the flock, nor 
keep them waiting too long for their meat. Give it to 
them in due season. This counsel is especially pertinent 
to young men just out of the schools. They forget two 
essential facts : first, that they are in the presence of a 
promiscuous company of men and women waiting to 
receive the Word of God and not of man; and secondly, 

33 



that they themselves are not there to give an exhibition 
of their erudition, but to deliver the message of their 
Lord in the most straightforward and impressive manner 
possible. In addressing a congregation generally, it 
would be well to follow the advice Cromwell gave his 
soldiers and "fire low." In doing so we shall be more 
liable to hit the heart, which is the very citadel of Man- 
soul. It is a fact which ought to be accentuated that few 
persons are converted through the head. Consequently 
few through purely intellectual preaching. More execu- 
tion is accomplished by aiming at the heart. We are 
apt in our eagerness to prepare and preach great sermons 
to overlook this matter. Bernard, whose power came 
from tenderness and simplicity, on one occasion preached 
a very scholarly sermon. The learned only thanked him 
and gave applause. The next day he preached tenderly 
and plainly, as had been his custom, and the good, the 
humble and the godly gave thanks and invoked blessings 
upon his head, which some of the scholarly wondered at. 
"Ah," said he, "yesterday I preached Bernard, but today 
I preached Christ." Paul boasts that his "speech" and 
"his preaching was not with enticing words of man's 
wisdom, but in demonstration of the spirit and of power." 
If somewhat embarrassed and one has apparently 
what is commonly called a "poor time" he ought not to be 
discouraged or disheartened. Many of the great preachers 
have done no better on the start. Matthew Simpson, 
afterwards a peerless pulpit orator and a bishop in the 
Methodist Episcopal Church, in the beginning of his 
ministry was so dissatisfied with his own efforts that he 
was on the point of abandoning his work. But he held 
on and God made him a polished arrow in the divine 
quiver. And then again, the preacher's poor time may 
be a feast of fat things to some poor soul, hungering for 
just the crumbs of truth and not strong enough to eat the 
bread of life served up in a more elaborate form. A 

34 






Story IS told of a young Scotch minister who made his 

first attempt to deliver a sermon from the steps of the 
house of John Knox, in Edinburgh. A propitious spot 
certainly from which to hold forth the lamp of life! But 
! -acred spots, persons and associations do not 
always insure a good preaching time, as the young 
man discovered to his sorrow. For taking as his text 
the words, "Behold the Lamb of God that taketh 
away the sin of the world,'' he talked disconnectedly 
and incoherently for a few moments and then 
completely broke down. He was very much discouraged 
at his own conscious failure, and was hurrying away from 
the scene of his supposed defeat, when an old woman laid 
hold of his arm and said, "Laddie, you've brought my 
puir wandering heart back to the Lamb of God/' and his 
rout was suddenly transformed into a glorious victory. 

Neither if one has what is called a "good time" 
should he be unduly elated, for on such an occasion a 
man may speak with ease, and grace, and great fluency, 
and yet accomplish little. We older preachers, who have 
passed this period and look back, often wonder what we 
said that in any way could have edified God's people in 
our earlier efforts at preaching His Word. Certain it is 
that there is at this period a dash almost amounting to 
recklessness, and a spontaniety which well nigh carries 
one off his feet in the manner and the matter of preaching. 
These, to a large degree, pass away with the passing of 
the years. It would have been better for many of us if 
we could have restrained some of this dash and some of 
this flow at that time, and retained a modicum of it for 
use in after years. 

In the selection of texts for initial sermons in new 
fields of labor, much discretion needs to be exercised. 
This same precaution applies to the texts for occasional 
sermons. Let them be such as that they cannot make a 
grotesque or humorous impression, nor from wdiich un- 

35 



canny inferences may be drawn. Better not, for example, 
take such as, " Arise, shine, for thy light has come/' or 
"All that ever came before me were thieves and robbers," 
or "Never man spake as this man." If one does, as sure as 
man is man, some obtuse, evil minded, or cynical hearer 
will charge him with egotism, or conceit, or something 
worse. A little forethought at this point will save one 
from much embarrassment and chagrin. Such texts as 
"I am ready to preach the Gospel to you also," "We are 
laborers together with God," "I come to you in the name 
of the Lord of Hosts," are much more appropriate and in 
place on such occasions, or as Cicero says "ut diceat" — 
most becoming. 

A first sermon presupposes a first Church. This may 
not he so and frequently is not. If one is to enter the 
ministry of a Church having a congregational form of 
government, he is without a pastorate up to this time. 
This form of Church government provides for what is 
known as the calling of ministers. Hence, the first work 
will be candidating, or preaching on trial. The latter part 
of this statement is most literally and severely true. For 
it is both a trial and an ordeal for a young man just out of 
the Seminary to go candidating. But distasteful as it 
may be, he must do it before he can become a settled 
pastor. It will be wise in him if he does not aspire too 
high as to the grade of Church he will serve. Better for 
him to accept an invitation coming unanimously from 
some country parish than to enter the half open door of a 
rich city church. 

When one is to become a preacher in a Church 
which has an "Itinerant" system he will be relieved of the 
unpleasant work of candidating, yet at the same time his 
chances of beginning his ministry away up in the scale 
are greatly diminished. The rotating wheel usually, in 
its revolutions, leaves the young preacher at the bottom, 
and not the top. Nearly all ministers under this system 

36 



have to serve an apprenticeship at the trade. Few are 
placed in charge of large, important and influential 

churches on first entering upon their work, or even dur- 
ing the years of their novitiate. It is observable that most 

of them begin on what has become laconically known as 

"Hard Scrabble Charge." Here they often find a super- 
abundance oi work and little pay. But even those un- 

propitious features should not deter one from beginning 
here. For, if rightly viewed and used, they have their 
compensations. Here a man may learn how and what to 
preach. Here leisure will be afforded him from the most 
exacting and exhausting duties of upper society. Here 
he can become master of the polity of his own denomina- 
tion and familiarize himself with the doctrines, usages 
and governments of other Churches. And what is still 
more advantageous, one may so fit himself as that when 
other fields of labor open to him, he can enter them with- 
out any hesitation or mental reservation and magnificent- 
ly maintain himself in the new and larger sphere. 

If it should t>e urged, in rebuttal, that it is always 
harder for a man to go up than it is to go down, and 
therefore one should begin as high up as he can reach 
even in the ministry ; this may be conceded, but it is also 
true that some ministers start on too high a plane and 
have to come down. If the "powers that be" should suc- 
ceed in keeping them there for a time, the chariot wheels 
drag heavily nevertheless, until the break comes, which 
it is sure to do sooner or later. If it is asked, "Is it not 
difficult for a preacher, who begins low T down, to grade 
up?" the answer must be, "Yes." If, however, he can pos- 
sess himself in patience and bide his time, his day will 
surely come. "Wait a wee and dinna worry" is not only 
a good definition of that patience with which the toiler 
in God's vineyard should possess himself, but it is a most 
useful maxim to follow. If the Knight of Ravenswood 
could inscribe upon his shield, "I bide my time," much 



more the Knight of the Cross. He won by patience and 
valor what valor alone could never have achieved. If one 
only grows while he waits, he will be the man for the 
place when the place is ready for the man. 

This leads me to remark, by way of encouragement, 
that merit wins in the ministry in the long run as certainly 
and surely as it does elsewhere. It may not always and 
immediately receive recognition. Neither may it be im- 
mediately rewarded. Still it will be noticed by discerning 
men and mentioned to one's credit. This in itself is better 
than the loud applause of the multitude, or the empty 
honors they are often so ready to confer. Solid worth 
usually becomes known and receives homage. The Rev. 
Joseph Butler, author of the masterful and unanswerable 
"Analogy of Religion/' toiled on in comparative ob- 
scurity for many years, but recognition of his worth 
came at last in the promotion to the bishopric. The Rev. 
Dr. DeWitt Talmage, one of the most brilliant pulpit 
orators, did much plodding as many another has done, 
before he reached the zenith of his popularity and power. 
The same may be affirmed of Rev. John Watson, better 
known by his nom de plume, Ian Maclaren, who as sud- 
denly as a meteor flashed forth in the ecclesiastical sky of 
two continents. These, and numerous others who might 
readily be cited from a long line of illustrious pulpiteers, 
enforce the inspiring lesson, that all may make their lives 
sublime if they will "learn to labor and to wait." The 
Itinerant wheel, in some one of its revolutions, will doubt- 
less throw the most worthy off at the top, or the long 
expected call come, if one can only persevere long 
enough. 

Various methods of bettering oneself are often sug- 
gested, and various methods have often been tried. The 
one worthy of universal recommendation is to make 
oneself so large by his sermons and labors that a small 
charge shall not have room enough to contain him. Like 

38 



Joseph's fruitful vine, we may let our boughs grow over 
our local church walls. Then some other people, tasting 

the quality oi the fruit, will desire more aud possibly seek 
to transplant the vine itself. As some one has said, "the 
best way to gt\ otit of a small pulpit is to grow out," and 
I may add "the best way to obtain a larger is to possess 
the ability to till it." "lolling in" should always be the 
complement oi "growing out." But even then one must 
pray the Lord that he will not send us up, unless He him- 
self go with us. If, like Israel, we become anxious to hear 
the sound of the "going in the tops of the mulberry 
trees", as the signal for advance, we must not yield to the 
strong temptation which will inevitably come, to shake 
them ourselves. Howbeit, when the divine signal is given 
for us to move forward, we should advance expecting the 
Lord to be with us and give us success. 



39 



CHAPTER III. 



PERSONAL EXCELLENCIES AND DEFECTS. 



To many readers the mere mention of some matters 
treated in this chapter will doubtless seem trivial and 
superfluous. Perhaps they will appear as mere trifles — 
the anise, the mint and the cummin — as compared with 
the more weighty matters pertaining to the minister and 
his work. They are, however, so closely related to him- 
self, and have so much to do with his acceptibility in gen- 
eral that it would be like the play of "Hamlet" with Ham- 
let left out, if these notes on the "persona" were omitted. 
It is true that trifles are trifles, and many times nothing 
more. Sometimes they are as light as air and as harmless 
too. At others, as heavy as sand and as destructive as 
death. The snowflake singly and the tiny particles of 
hoar frost alone mean but little. A child's breath may 
blow the one whither he will, and a child's hand dash the 
other from the cup of the lily without harm. But, let 
these little snowflakes gather, and these little particles of 
hoar frost aggregate, and what then? Why, a nation's 
traffic is blocked and a nation's crops are blasted. So 
with some of the small things which enter into the mak- 
ing and the marring of the man called to the sacred office. 
Here there are, strictly speaking, no trifles, but each and 
all are both weighty and important in their relation to 
him. It is, therefore, with the greater freedom, if not 
abandon, that I venture these annotations, for I am per- 
suaded that the most observing and discerning persons, 
within and without the profession, will regard them as 
timely and momentous. 

10 



An old divine once quaintly said : "Cleanliness is next 
to godliness." It is not probable that he had in mind at 
the time men of his own profession, but rather that he 
uttered it as an epigramatic saying from which it lias 
grown into a proverb, 1 tence it is universal in its applica- 
tion, and is especially pertinent in its present connection. 
Not that ministers are habitually dirty, but that they are 
sometimes careless as to their personal cleanliness and 
slovenly in their dress. It is a wee matter, forsooth, to 
permit the finger nails to go uncleaned, or unpared, until 
they are in a fair way of competing with Nebuchadnez- 
zar's, which, as it is written, "were like eagle's claws.'' Or 
for the beard to stand out on the chin like quills on the 
back of a fretful porcupine. Or for the shoes to lack 
polish, or for the linen to be soiled. Nevertheless, there 
are occasions when these marks of personal neglect and 
untidiness will make them persona non gratia?, and mili- 
tate against them as the King's ambassadors and the mes- 
sage which they bring. It is important, then, that all 
parts of the person which are exposed to view should be 
scrupulously clean. If our hands are to break symboli- 
cally the "Bread of Life/'' or actually the bread at the 
"Holy Communion," we should see to it that they are as 
clean and sweet as soap and water can make them. For 
even an inspired writer, in answer to the question, "Who 
shall ascend into the hill of the Lord?" answers "He that 
hath clean hands." The pungent odor of the barn, or 
what, under the circumstances, is more censurable, the 
offensive smell of tobacco, ought not either to taint the 
clothes or the breath of those ministering in the House 
of God. The same precautions need to be taken at other 
times and in other places than at the sanctuary service ; 
such as 1-he chamber of the sick, the parlor of the rich, and 
the hovel of the poor. It is said of the Master that His 
coming to men should be like the aroma emanating from 
the new mown grass, upon which the rain and the dew 

41 



have sweetly distilled. What, then, should the coming of 
His representative be? Should it not be as fragrant as 
the incense which ascended from golden censers in God's 
ancient temple, or like the sweet smelling myrrh which 
was so closely associated with early Christian customs 
and ministries? 

After cleanliness of person the apparel claims atten- 
tion. Here much care and circumspection are required. 
The minister is not to be a Beau Nash, neither is he to be 
a Jack Cade in dress. He should strike the golden mean. 
Trimness and tidiness and not "cut" should be the rule. 
If he prefers to wear the clerical white cravat it should be 
immaculately clean. Far better to wear a black tie than a 
dingy white one, even though the former is not so clerical. 
He will appear to greater advantage in the regulation 
"Prince Albert" coat than in "sparrow laps," which is 
dubbed nowadays the dress coat. At home, or on the 
street, or during vacation, he may wear any other kind, 
but on the rostrum and in the pulpit, a neat fitting long 
coat will best become the man and the place. It produces 
a dignified and pleasingly illusive effect, seeming to 
lengthen out the short man and to duly proportionate 
the man of stature tall. Consequently, it should be worn 
on all public occasions. This rule does not exclude the 
wearing of pulpit robes by any, when permissable and in 
keeping with the rubrics of the Church in which they 
officiate. But, as aforesaid, the preacher is not to lead the 
style, but is rather to conform to the fashion in dress 
which most becomes his calling. Hence, he is not to be 
a fop or a guy, wearing spindled-toed shoes, or skin-tight 
pantaloons, or large-bosomed vests, or flashy neckties, 
but to dress sensibly, like any other practical and intelli- 
gent man. As one who adorns the Gospel of Christ in his 
daily life and conversation, rather than one who seeks to 
beautify with all the colors of the rainbow and all the 
showy costumes of the season the temple of his poor per- 

42 



ishing body. While it is true that great hearts may throb 
under hodden-gray and blockheads may be blocked out 

with silk hats of the latest style, yet the advice which 
Polonius gave to his sou regarding dress, in a qualified 

souse, might appropriately be given to the minister. 
"Costly thy habit as thy purse can buy, 

But not expressed in fancy ; rich, not gaudy; 

For the apparel oft proclaims the man; 

And they ... of the best rank and station, 

Are most select and generous, chief in that." 
In what rank or station, may I ask, should the dress 
be more select than in the highest station of all, which is 
the ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ? 

Whatever the character of the apparel, be sure to ad- 
just it before entering the church, so as not to make a 
dressing box or a toilet chamber of the pulpit. Should 
any part of the attire become disarranged, one may either 
quietly retire, or if the disarrangement does not discom- 
mode or embarrass him, finish the sermon and attend to 
it afterwards. "Nothing seems more out of place than for 
the minister, after entering the pulpit, to be smoothing 
down his hair, or retying his cravat, or fastening some 
loosened garment. All these matters should receive at- 
tention either at home or in the vestry. If he do these 
and like primpings before the people, they will regard his 
actions as indicative of a fastidiousness and a daintiness 
regarding his personal appearance which ill become him 
in the Lord's sanctuary. 

At this point a word of exhortation touching the wear- 
ing and the displaying of jewelry will be relevant. Some 
ministers, like some men of fashion, have a passion for 
adorning themselves with various trinkets and ornaments 
of silver and gold. Sometimes these are gifts from friends 
or the relics of departed loved ones. They are then worn, 
not so much for what they are in themselves, but as me- 
mentoes and tokens of respect. That ministers should 

43 



not wear jewelry we do not say. But that for their own 
sake and the Gospel's sake, they will be wise to wear 
little, and that little the most choice. Rings, ordinarily, 
should not be worn by men occupying the sacred desk, 
no matter what their size, or brilliancy, whether they are 
large or not. They are usually large and dazzling enough 
to be seen by the audience and the wearer himself. The 
Ikindly rebuke which an old divine gave to a younger 
brother at an installation service was well merited. He 
had noticed that the candidate wore on the little finger 
of his right hand a sparkling diamond ring, and that dur- 
ing the service the young man had turned upon it many 
an admiring glance. When the time came for the charge 
to be delivered, after some fatherly advice had been given, 
the aged man of God said : "And your work, my brother, 
is to hold up before the people the Cross of Christ. You 
yourself must hide behind it, and not so much as your 
'little jeweled finger' be in sight." It was a mild, a tender 
and a loving admonition, which was ever afterwards 
heeded. A like word of exhortation obtains in regard to 
the wearing of costly studs, pins, charms, and watch 
chains, only that these are frequently articles which prove 
themselves to be useful as well as ornamental. Cowper's 
immortal verse, where he gibbets for all time the minister 
who disregards these homely instructions, is most appo- 
site here. He asks : 

"What ! will a man play tricks, will he indulge 
A silly fond conceit of his fair form 
And just proportion, fashionable mien. 
And pretty face, in presence of his God? 
Or will he seek to dazzle me with tropes 
As with the diamond on his lily hand, 
And play his brilliant parts before my eyes 
When I am hungry for the bread of life? 
He mocks his Maker, prostitutes and shames 
His noble office, and, instead of truth, 
Displaying his own beauty, starves his flock. " 

44 



Next to neatness and plainness in dress is a noble 
carriage. This is an essential counterpart of good dress- 
ing. Proprietors of large clothing establishments, where 
ready-made clothing is offered for sale, understand this 

full well. Consequently they have wooden figures of nor- 
mal hoys and men made, clothe them, and place them on 
exhibition. But, as is well known, the wooden figures 

have no earthly use except to fill out the suits and make 
the m more presentable than they otherwise would be. 
Hoff these clothes from the dummy, straight and stout, 
and don them on some hollow-chested or hump-backed 
man, and though the cloth be of the finest fabric, and the 
cut the most correct, the suit has lost 50 per cent, in its 
transfer. Why? Well, just because the dummy had a 
d form and an erect bearing, and the man had neither. 
Hence, the first sets off the suit, but the second would dis- 
count the best one in the establishment. The truth is, 
ministers bend over their books and manuscripts until 
they get a kind of scholastic stoop, which is as ungainly 
in them as the Grecian bend w r as in women a few years 
ago, the only devarication being that the bend is differ- 
ently located. It will require an effort to stand straight, 
to walk erect, to be in form and movement impressive and 
admirable. It will, however, add weight and force to 
one's message. This is no small gain. The man who has 
to do with cannons should seek to be as straight as one, 
and he wdiose mission it is to lift up others must occasion- 
ally, at least, stand up himself. 

Let us now pass on to notice, under the general head 
of "deportment," the manner of man the minister should 
be in his dealings with men and before them. He should 
certainly aim to be first, last and always courteous, gen- 
teel and amiable. Gentlemanliness is the term which de- 
scribes these excellencies, whether in him or others. He 
may not always be able to develop a commanding phy- 
sique. Nature has something to say about that, and she 

45 



may deny it to him. Gentle and affable manners she has 
put within his reach. All truly noble souls, either orig- 
inally possess these qualities, or by discipline, and the 
exercise of the will acquire them. A minister of the Gos- 
pel is at a great disadvantage if he is lacking in any of 
them and will always be handicapped in his work with- 
out them. For, as Emerson says, "A beautiful behavior 
is better than a beautiful form ; it gives a higher pleasure 
than statues and pictures, it is the finest of the fine arts." 
It is the finished product which is to evolve from the raw 
material of manliness. The angel, so to speak, which is 
struck out of the rougher marble, man. 

Let it not, however, be understood that every minis- 
ter is to be a Chesterfield in suavity of manners. This is 
neither feasible nor desirable. It is not so much the pol- 
ish as the rosewood that is needed, without which a ve- 
neer and nothing more will appear. Real gentlemanli- 
ness is the outer coating of which true manliness is the 
core. Hence, the Christian minister may lack the exqui- 
site and agonizing punctiliousness of the polite dilettante, 
his stock of knowledge as to what is etiquette and what 
is not may be small. Nevertheless, in his words, actions 
and bearing, in the presence of his equals, his inferiors, 
and his superiors, he always deports himself as a true 
gentleman. In this, as in other respects, he is to be like 
his Master. It has been said of the Man of Galilee by one, 
who, for a whole lifetime, devoted himself to the social 
proprieties, that "Jesus Christ was the only true gentle- 
man that the world has ever seen." High eulogy this, 
and yet perhaps not much too high. For no man can read 
the life of Christ, as written by the Evangelists, and note 
how he mingled with all classes, in public and in private, 
with the rich and the poor, the learned and the ignorant, 
the moral and the vicious, and not be charmed with the 
gentleness, the high breeding, and the perfect propriety of 
His demeanor. In His intercourse with them there was 

46 



no rudeness in His manner, nor coarseness in His speech. 

He was deferential to those in authority, and condescend- 
ing to the lowly and the fallen. Such "politeness costs a 
man little or nothing, but it will disarm prejudice, win 

friends and captivate hearts." It will do even more than 
this for ministers, it will give them access to circles of 
influence which otherwise would be forever closed to 
them, and open avenues of usefulness which 
otherwise they would never be able to enter. 
There will doubtless be times when to be severe 
would be just, and when to be brusque would be easy. 
But they must forbear, not forgetting of what spirit they 
are to be. Still they are not, even in the exercise of this 
quality, to practice softness and palaver to the extent that 
the biting words of the satirist shall apply to them, when 
he said : 
"Folks are now so precise, and things so polite, 
That they're elegantly painful from morning till night. " 

Closely coupled with the above is the grace of civil- 
ity. It consists largely in affability, approachableness, 
and genial bonhomie, as the French have it, or as Shakes- 
peare has it, "the milk of human kindness." It commonly 
manifests itself in a nod or a smile, a formal salute or 
handshake, a kind word or a good deed. In brief, in some 
form of kindly feeling, good will or sympathy, expressed 
in one way or another, and as far as possible to all men. 
In no other profession will this grace count for so much 
as in the ministry. Consequently, it is one of the highest 
compliments which can be paid to the pastor of any par- 
ish, for it to be said of him, "he has a kind look or word 
for all he meets. " Certainly urbanity of manner, observ- 
ance of the minute civilities and amenities of everyday life, 
considerateness for the feelings of others, and deference 
to their judgment, often mark the dividing line between 
the gentleman and the boar, the good shepherd of the 
flock and the hireling of the fold. 

47 



Another personal quality to be cultivated is cheerful- 
>, Like its predecessors, much depends upon it, 
whether or no the man of God shall be acceptable or un- 
acceptable. It is sometimes characterized, and this very 
properly, "joyfulness." Like most other graces, it de- 
pends both upon temperament and effort respectively for 
its development. Every preacher of the Gospel should 
possess it in large measure. It exhibits itself to others in 
various ways, but what it is to him who hath it, as much 
as to him w T ho is helped by it, is what makes it invalu- 
able to the minister. I have an idea that Solomon adverts 
to this quality when he speaks of a "merry heart being a 
continual feast." It certainly is all this and more. It is 
like a joyous elan before the battle, and a triumphant 
paean at its close. No matter what the outcome cheer- 
fulness helps one to meet it, and often to turn defeat into 
victory. To study its operation in the lives of such men 
as Paul and Wesley, Spurgeon and Beecher, Simpson and 
Brooks, Robertson and Drummond, is an inspiration and 
a tonic. The last of these, during his tw r o years of acute 
suffering, kept himself cheerful and buoyant amid it all. 
Writing to his mother near the close, he pleasantly re- 
ferred to the title of his great book, by speaking of its 
author as an exhibition of the "descent" and not the 
"Ascent of Man." Such a disposition is priceless. Ac- 
cording to Dr. Johnson, "it is worth a thousand pounds a 
year to have the habit of looking on the right side of 
things." 

When speaking of this ennobling characteristic, we 
are often led to compare it to sunshine. It will illuminate 
the heart and make the face to shine. If one cannot have 
the sheen of glory irradiating his countenance which 
caused the face of Moses to shine with Heaven's own 
light, he may have it lit up, and this constantly, by the 
radiation of the good cheer of his own heart ; for it still 
holds true that "a merry heart maketh a cheerful coun- 

48 



tenance." Samuel Smiles thus comments on this grace: 

"The truest Christian politeness is cheerfulness. It be- 
comes the old and the young, and is always graceful. It 

is the best oi ^imh\ company, for it adorns its wearer more 
than rubies and diamonds set in gold. It costs nothing, 
and vet it is invaluable; for it blesses the possessor and 
springs up into abundant happiness in the bosom of 
others. In conversation it habitually chooses pleasant 
topics, instead of faults and shortcomings. It scatters 
abroad kind words, cherishes kind thoughts, and in all 
ways sweetens social intercourse. Cheerfulness is the 
beauty of the mind, and, like personal beauty, it wins al- 
most everything else. Yet it never grows old, for there 
is nothing more beautiful than cheerfulness in an old 
face." It will enable one to light up the hearts and homes 
of others, for it is diffusive and contagious. We should 
covet it for our own sake, and for the sake of the sad and 
sorrowing ones all about us. Then we shall be enabled to 
scatter sunshine and gladness everywhere we go. 

This dilatation on the sunny countenance prompts 
me to say a word or two on facial expression. Avoid all 
habitual distortion of the features. A frown is in place 
when denouncing wrong and a pleasant look when com- 
mending and praising. The eye and the mouth are the 
most expressive features of the face and will be observed 
most. Therefore, let the eye be fixed upon the auditors 
and not upon the ceiling. Let it speak mutely but elo- 
quently for us to those we are addressing. When one 
speaks extemporaneously there is no greater aid than the 
intelligent and reciprocal communication carried on by 
the eye. When not speaking let the lips be closed, but not 
too closely compressed. The mouth is an index to char- 
acter. To one who understands its unuttered speech, it 
will inform him whether we are masters of the situation 
or not. It behooves us, then, to keep it closed. 

The expressive power of the human countenance 

49 



renders it capable of becoming- one of the most important 
elements of power in delivery. It is such, in fact, that we 
can say a speaking- countenance almost as properly as a 
speaking tongue. In the words of Quintillian, "this is the 
dominant power in expression. With this we supplicate ; 
with this we threaten ; 'with this we soothe ; with this we 
mourn; with this we rejoice; with this we triumph; with 
this we make our submissions; upon this the audience 
hangs ; upon this they keep their eyes fixed ; this they ex- 
amine and study, even before a word is spoken ; this it is 
which excites in them favorable or unfavorable emotions ; 
from this they understand almost everything; often it be- 
comes more significant than any words." 

Bacon also contends that a visual grasp gives a 
speaker a wonderful control of his auditors. It behooves 
the preacher, then, to obtain such a grasp by looking 
them straight in the eye. But let this be as Rev. John 
Wesley admonishes, modestly and alternately, turning re- 
spectively first to one and then another of his hearers. A 
kind eye and a benignant countenance cow opposition, 
win sympathy, and prepossess an assembly at once in the 
speaker's favor. But a weary or worried expression, an 
abstract or imperious look, such as may sometimes be 
seen on ministers' faces when about to speak for their 
Lord and Master, is a sorry recommendation of Him, or 
the message they bring. Therefore, let the face be open 
and sunny ; the eye bright and frank. If it speaks of hid- 
den fire, let it be of that holy fire of love which burns 
brightly on the altar of a truly regenerated and sanctified 
heart. 

Among the most important parts of the ministerial 
persona is the voice. The vox humana is a marvelous in- 
strument compared to its delicate strains, the sweetest 
warbling of the lark, and the dulcet notes of the harp are 
not half so entrancing and ravishing. Furthermore, it is 
the most indispensable tool in the minister's outfit. It is 

50 



with it that his work is to be executed. But, like other 
Is, it is n<n always in the lust condition for use. It 
may not be one of the best to begin with. Whether it is 
not, it will frequently get out of order. It is constantly 
in need oi improvement and repair. Therefore, the best 
care ought to he taken o\ it. Let it he used as skillfully 
and studiously as the artist does his finest and most costly 
instrument. 

The clergyman's sore throat has become proverbial, 
although this malady is not confined to him alone. It is 
the common heritage of all public speakers, but is most 
virulent in its attacks on him. Hence, of all others, he 
should guard against it. To do this successfully a general 
knowledge of the anatomy and physiology of the vocal 
apparatus will disclose to him how best to go about it. 
The principal object to be aimed at being prevention 
rather than cure. For in this ailment, as in others which 
afflict mankind, "an ounce of prevention is better than a 
pound of cure." A good rule to follow is to use the voice 
daily either in reading aloud or in conversation, and on 
the sabbath, when one has to preach twice or thrice, give 
it absolute rest during the intervals between services. If 
the practice of this rule should not entirely prevent at- 
tacks of this distemper, it will greatly lessen their fre- 
quency and malignancy. Further, if ministers who have 
to step into the outer and cooler air, or from the warmer 
atmosphere of the audience room to the damper and 
closer atmosphere of the basement, would slip on a silk 
scarf and a light w r eight overcoat, bronchitis and sore 
throat would become less prevalent among them. Es- 
pecially should this precaution be taken when they have 
warmed up in delivering the sermon and until such time 
as the body has gradually cooled off and the excited 
nerves become rested. 

It need hardly here be said that a good speaking 
voice to a clergyman is a talisman of success. It is equiv- 

51 



alent to a legacy to him. Howbeit our progenitors be- 
queath it to few of their offspring. Dame Nature is not 
lavish in her endowment of this gift. Consequently a 
good orating voice, flexible, sonorous and full, is more of 
an ac quisition than an inheritance. Of course, some in- 
dividuals are in possession of better natural voices than 
others are to begin with. And yet these individuals some- 
times know very little about the management of them. 
Then there are other persons who have an excellent 
understanding as to the regulation and the modulation of 
the voice, who possess one that has neither range, sweet- 
ness nor strength. But be it observed, that which they 
have is vastly improved in quality and tone by the exer- 
cise and discipline they bestow upon it. 

Many are the receipts that peripatetic elocutionists 
put upon the market, and sell to clerical purchasers for 
the cultivation of the voice. These claim to be specifics — 
cure alls — for squeaking, jerky and obstreperous voices. 
Beware of these vocal nostrums. If they are used at all 
it should be charily. Perhaps some of them upon appli- 
cation will be found beneficial, but most of them are dele- 
terious, making a bad voice worse. In the absence of a 
teacher here is a formula which, if it is followed closely, 
will greatly help. Bring the voice into subjection to the 
will. Make it speak to the ear, so that it can catch its 
tones and its range. When it is in actual use, do not 
entirely forget it and lose yourself in the subject, as some 
instructors advise, rather intelligently guide and control 
it. Thus it may be prevented from rising to a high and 
dropping too low, or continuing too long in one key. Also 
in all ordinary conversation speak in a clear, easy and au- 
dible tone. If this is done it will not be long before one 
will habitually speak thus, and his private conversations 
and public discourses will be marked by these same vocal 
excellencies. 

What then are the properties of the voice which min- 

52 



isters should desire and seek after Without controversy 
it will be admitted by all persons having a knowledge of 
voire culture, and judges of good speaking, that nothing 
can compensate for, or offset, clearness, melodiousness 

and volume. These are the three principal notes in the 
vocal scale. Run these up or run them down, they con- 
stitute a gamut sufficient and adequate for the develop- 
ment of the vox luimana. Practice therein will result in 
a vigorous, flexible and mellow baritone, the worth of 
which will be found to be priceless. Shepherd says : "The 
value of such a voice for public speaking- cannot be over- 
estimated. It is a richly paying investment. It covers a 
multitude of sin. It compensates somewhat for defi- 
ciencies of rhetoric and lack of thought. There is health 
in it, and dignity, and manliness, and character." The 
preacher should not desire it because it may serve some 
of these purposes, but that he may make the most of his 
message. It may safely be added, with this qualification 
of endorsement, that there is wealth, power and promo- 
tion in it. For it will open up to its possessor influential 
parishes, which afford more abundant opportunities for 
usefulness, and pay larger stipends. Surely, since we are 
solicitous of possessing the best thoughts and the most 
felicitous verbal matter for sermonic purposes, we should 
be equally anxious to have and to use the most efficient 
instrument by which these are to find utterance. 

Guard against the falsetto, or pulpit strain ; the sep- 
ulchral tone, and the sanctimonious whine. Better by far 
have a squeaky or a jerky voice, which speaks up and out, 
than the sing-song, the nasal, or the lachrymal. We may 
not be to blame for some of these defects. For others we 
are wholly responsible, because we are aware of them and 
fail to remedy them w r hen we might. Then again avoid 
the common defects of speaking too slow or too fast, too 
low or too high. The latter alternatives of these pairs are 
markedly noticeable in some preachers of the present day. 

53 



Hence the advice given to Aaron Burr by one of the most 
distinquished men of his day, "Speak as slowly as you 
can/' is pertinent in ours. And the following incidents 
point out the advisability of avoiding the other ; for it is 
still true that some preachers shout the loudest when 
they have the least to say. As Dr. Lyman Beecher, going 
home from church, once said to his son Henry — who was 
trying to comfort his father on account of his having 
preached a very poor sermon : "Why, father, I never 
heard you preach so loud in all my life." "That is the 
way," said the doctor, "I always holler when I haven't 
anything to say." Others rant and bluster and work 
themselves up into a rage. To listen to such, as Spurgeon 
facetiously observed, "is an infliction, not to be endured 
twice in a brother, who mistakes perspiration for inspira- 
tion, tears along like a wild horse with a hornet in his ear 
till he has no more wind, and must needs pause to pump 
his lungs full again." 

Finally, these personalia, from a shoe string to the 
tones in which the message is delivered, must receive con- 
stant and unflagging attention. Then the message will be 
accompanied with the power of our individuality, backed 
home by divine authority. And adding a line in lieu of 
the last to Luther's favorite triplet, I may say : "Stand up 
manfully; speak up cheerily," and attend to your own 
personality. On the observance of all these matters, to 
a great extent, depends one's acceptability as a man and 
his success as a minister. 



54 



CHAPTER IV. 



THE MINISTERIAL WORKSHOP. 



A genuine minister is a worker. A cure, but not a 
sinecure. \\ liile his toil is performed mostly by the brain 
and not by the hands, notwithstanding, he toils long and 
hard at his tasks, and is as distinctively a winner of bread 
as a winner of souls. St. Paul gives him the distinguished 
appellation of "workman/' and exhorts him so to labor as 
not to be ashamed of his workmanship. If the Gospel 
minister of the twentieth century shall be up to the Gospel 
minister of the first century of the Christian Era — and 
there is no reason why he should not be, but every reason 
why he should be — then it is no misnomer to place over 
the door of the room where much of his labor is per- 
formed the lofty and suggestive devise, 'The \\ T orshop/' 
True, we often speak of it as the sanctum sanctorum, or 
the minister's study, but for rea) dignity and appositeness 
no other title describes it so accurately or so well — if it is 
what it should be — as that given it at the head of this 
chapter. 

It will be pertinent to observe, in passing, that all 
the illustrious preachers of the past have been great work- 
ers. We are accustomed, as we read church history, to 
count such notable leaders as Luther, Calvin, Wesley and 
others as most fortunate. Of attributing to them more 
than ordinary perception and erudition. Perhaps we have 
gone so far as to classify them with men of genius. And, 
in some respects, our estimate of them, however high it 
may be, may approximate to the truth. Howbeit, what 
made them what they were to the men of their age and 
what has largely perpetuated their memory, and shall per- 

55 



petuate it for all time to come, is chiefly that they were 
assiduous toilers in the Master's vineyard. Luther was a 
man of extraordinary power, energy and perseverance. A 
linguist, logican and preacher. And yet he found time, 
amid his contentions with the Pope, to translate the Holy 
Scriptures into the vernacular of the German people and 
write and print pamphlets, tracts and books. So it was 
with Calvin. He was an indefatigable worker. At the 
early age of twenty-five sending forth his "Theological 
Institutes/' and closing his labor and life together. Dur- 
ing his last illness, when he was scarcely able to breathe, 
he translated his "Harmony of Moses" from Latin into 
French ; revised the translation of Genesis, and finished 
writing his "Commentary on Joshua." While it has been 
said of Wesley by his various biographers that his knowl- 
edge of human nature was accurate, his will firm, and his 
intellect clear, still all these remarkable traits of this re- 
markable man would have availed but little, if he had not 
been a ceaseless toiler. Up at four in the morning, read- 
ing, writing, translating, preaching, till the day closed. 
Doing this constantly and not spasmodically. Doing it 
not only in the hey-day of life, but when* he had become 
an old man. So that in his eighty-seventh year he writes 
in his diary, "Blessed be God. I do not slack my labors. 
I can preach still." If these men, with all their brilliant 
parts, needed to supplement them with ceaseless and tire- 
less labor, how much more those who may not be equally 
gifted. Surely "labor omnia vincit" — labor conquers all 
things. 

Leaving the workman Tor the present, let us dis- 
course awhile on the workshop. Where shall it be, and 
what shall it be? These questions will most naturally 
arise to the inquiring mind. In attempting to answer 
them no effort will be made to speak with authority, or to 
depict what is sometimes called the "Minister's Ideal 
Study." I shall simply offer some practical suggestions 

50 



as to its location ami roughly outline its interior and nec- 
ary furnishings. It will readily be seen that circum- 
stances have much to do withwhere and what shall it be, 

When convenient it would seem most natural for it to be 
located on the sunny side of the parsonage, or church, as 
it may perchance be part of one or the other, and for it to 
be large and dry, light and airy. This would be advis- 
able, if for no other reason than that the character of the 
work done there is to be full of sunshine for a dark and 
benighted world. The workman, however, should not be 
lost sight of. His health and vigor, and life, are frequently 
jeopardized, lessened and shortened by not giving atten- 
tion to these matters. His daily task is to be performed 
there. That he may perform it with the greatest of ease, 
and the least wear on eye, nerve and brain, is important. 
That there may be oxygen in his blood, it must first be 
imbreathed through the lungs, which are often the most 
quiescent at the time the mind is most active and thought 
is most concentrated. If the quality, or the quantity of 
the work, or the health of the workman is taken into con- 
sideration, no low, dark, damp room will be selected, or 
used for this purpose. Moreover, let it be isolated. Quiet- 
ness and remoteness from the din and bustle of the home 
and the noisy thoroughfares of men, are essential to the 
accomplishing of the best and most enduring output of 
the brain. They are the twin conditions which attend all 
successful literary labor. Having settled these points sat- 
isfactorily, enter this cleristory, wherever located, early, 
and abide there through the morning hours ; for "the 
morning hours have gold in their mouth." 

Furnish it with a few straight-backed chairs, a wall 
desk at which to stand, and a table at which to occasion- 
ally sit in performing the lighter tasks. Have within easy 
and convenient reach a stationary or revolving bookcase 
in which are the most frequently needed books for general 
and ready reference. To these may be added typewriter, 

57 



duplicator, rubber stamps ; in brief, anything and every- 
thing which can be used advantageously, and is a time- 
saver. There should be no lounge here, nor upholstered 
chairs, nor draperies, except those which may be required 
to serve as covers or curtains. These other articles are in 
place in the sitting room and parlor, but this is neither. 
It is simply and solely a worshop. 

Fill the cases and shelves with the best books, put up 
in the most serviceable binding. It will be well to guard 
against the mistake so often made and not flatter oneself 
that the number of books possessed and the richness of 
their bindings are the true indices of knowledge and 
scholarship. Select them with care. One should get as 
many of them as his income will permit and keep his eye 
on their contents. It is the jewel which enriches and not 
the casket. Purchase for what is within. Paper backs do 
not ahvays mean literary trash. Neither do covers of blue 
and gold always mean that inexhaustible treasures lie be- 
tween. A leaden exterior in books, like Portia's vase, 
may indicate to the man who has the wisdom to make the 
choice, "for my wealth and my w T isdom look within. " 
Therefore, obtain the choicest books of the ablest writers, 
whether bound in paper or cloth, sheep or vellum. None 
are too good — as to their subject matter, at least — lor the 
clerical library. 

Then we should be sure to make the acquaintance of 
the books we own, wdiether they be few or many, and 'cul- 
tivate a very close friendship with them. We are to treat 
them as we would boon companions. They are such, if 
we hold the right relation to them. They will be our saf- 
est counselors and most unfailing friends. One may talk 
to them and make his obeisance to them. They are not 
shadows, but substances. They are the noblest memen- 
toes of departed personalities. The most worthy and en- 
during part which could remain in these sublunary re- 
gions. Carlyle says "All that mankind has done is lying 

58 



in magic preservation in the pages of books," and Sir \\ il- 
liam Davenant adds, "They arc the monument of van- 
ished minds." Become so accustomed to the niche each 
one occupies, thai you ran rise at midnight and put your 

hand on anyone oi them with which yon desire com- 
munion. Heaven's benediction rests upon the man who 
mak I books his staunches! friends and his abiding 

Possessions. It is presumed that the minister, like some 
other special students of literature, will not be as thor- 
oughly acquainted with some hooks as with others. This 
results partially from his different attitude towards differ- 
ent hooks. Some he handles occasionally; others are 
most constantly in use. A book of reference, or a book 
to be closely studied, will receive more handling, and 
therefore become more familiar than one that is just 
glanced over, or cursorily read. For it is true that, like 
food and drink, "some books are to be tasted, others to be 
swallowed, and some few to be chewed and digested/' 

Touching the manner of using books, we find among 
the instructions given by a master workman of our craft, 
this injunction, "Give attention unto reading/' from 
which we draw T the inference that some books are for 
reading merely. They contain general information upon 
some subject and are written in easy narrative form. Con- 
sequently their contents are digested as readily as they are 
imbibed. In complying with this injunction, care must 
be exercised as to the what, the how, and the why of read- 
ing. Most ministers will see the propriety of giving at- 
tendance to this duty of reading as enjoined upon Tim- 
othy by St. Paul. All, however, will not be equally clear 
as to what they should read. This has been a much 
mooted question among them. It has never been defi- 
nitely answered. Some there are who would require them 
to confine their reading mostly to works of divinity and 
devotion. We are not of this number. We, therefore, 
lay down this broad principle for the direction of any who 

59 



may be in doubt in this matter, namely ; that ministers 
living in the dawning light of the twentieth century 
should read the masterpieces of master minds, and this, 
whether they are works of fiction or history, or science, 
or philosophy, or theology, whether biblical or anti-bibli- 
cal. The only caution which needs to be exercised in 
reading religious polemics, is to read those which are 
constructive first and those of an opposite character after- 
wards. 

As to the how of reading, a word of advice needs to 
be given, else much of what we read will be like exhaust- 
ing, it will go to waste. A minister should read so as 
to make the subject matter his own. Also 
with the intention that ordinarily he will read 
a book once, and once only. Yet it is fair 
to say that he will come across some books which 
deserve more than one perusal. S0 1 then that he may be 
able to correctly recall the impressions made upon his 
mind, when he takes a book in hand to read it a second 
time, it will be well to employ some simple notation 
marks which will instantly furnish a cue to the meaning. 
For example, if he has no others, he may use the excla- 
mation point for surprise ; the interrogation point for any- 
thing questionable ; the x si°n for "note this" ; and the 
quotation marks for any passage deemed worth remem- 
bering. Thus at a glance at the article or book read, he 
will be able either to confirm or correct the impressions 
made on first reading it. To make these marks intelli- 
gently requires that there shall be attention and concen- 
tration of mind upon the contents of the book under re- 
view. No skimming or conning will answer. It must be 
reading, or as the Greek word "anagnosis" means, to 
know again ; i. e., to know for oneself that which another 
knew before and has recorded for the benefit of others. 

The "why" of reading is no less important than the 
"what" or the "how." To read simply for pastime is not 

60 



only a mental diversion, but too often an intellectual dis- 
sipation. It should be a rule not to read solely for the 
e of reading, or that one may be able to say to some 

literary dilettante, who dips into the latest productions, 
that he has read this, that and the other book. A purpose 
and a plan in this department of work' are sorely needed. 
Books for which (Hie has a predilection should be read. In 
following this suggestion some ministers will find them- 
selves turning as unconsciously as the heliotrope is said 
to turn to the sun, to works of travel, science, architec- 
ture, philosophy, medicine, law, fiction. If they discover 
in themselves a penchant for the last, they ought not to 
indulge it to the full. The appetite for a certain kind of 
mental (pabulum is not to be any more unbridled than the 
appetite for certain articles of diet. If it should 
be that which taken moderately, when taken to 
excess will soon prove deleterious instead of ben- 
eficial. We should read for information, or, as Bacon 
states it, "that we may be full men." From this exercise 
there should result a mental glow and exhilaration, a 
brain quickening and an intellectual stimulus. The read- 
ing of wide awake books will tend to impart, to young 
speakers especially, a wide awake style. 

After the task of reading comes the more arduous 
one of studying. The same apostle who said "Give atten- 
tion to reading/' also said "Study," etc. This is a vastly 
different work from the former. The term in the orig- 
inal is "spoudazo" — to bend over. It is a word picture, 
and we may see it umbraged in the rower bending for- 
ward to give greater impetus to his stroke; or the man 
seeking to lift a heavy weight, bending forward that he 
may have the resilient momentum of the spinal cord to 
help him lift it. So the theologian must bend to his task. 
He must examine and analyze, contemplate and investi- 
gate ; without this kind of application, he can never show 



CI 



himself approved unto God or be a workman that need- 
eth not to be ashamed. 

Among the books which are to be closely and con- 
stantly read, carefully and critically studied, the first and 
the foremost is the Word of God. Sir Walter Scott said 
to Lockhart, "There is but one book, and that is the 
Bible." This is the preacher's sine qua non — his chief 
textbook — his treasury, out of which, as a good scribe of 
the Kingdom of Heaven, he is to- bring forth things new 
and old. His arsenal filled with weapons of greatest 
power. Nothing can take its place. Commentaries are 
good, but the Bible itself is better. He should know it 
more thoroughly than the lawyer his Blackstone, or the 
physician his Theory and Practice. To do this he must, 
to a certain extent, be a homo unius libri — a man of one 
book, and that the Book of Books. If competent he should 
read and study the "Hagiographa," in the tongues in 
which they were spoken and written. And, though he 
may not be a linguist, or have had the advantages of the 
higher schools, even after he has entered upon his public 
ministry, he may obtain a sufficient knowledge of Hebrew 
and New Testament Greek, to enable him, with the aid 
of lexicon and grammar, to translate his sermon texts, if 
nothing more. If a young man he should not stop short 
of acquiring such skill. 

The advantages of being able to do this are numer- . 
ous and lasting. But the feeling of security and com- 
petency which it affords far outweighs any which needs to 
be mentioned here. As Kepler said, when 'beholding the 
heavens, the work of God's hands, the moon and the stars, 
which he had ordained : "I am reading God's thoughts 
after Him ;" so may the man who peruses God's Word 
say, as he traces out the pictorial and figurative Hebrew, 
and the euphemistic and expressive Greek : "I am reading 
God's thoughts as they were originally uttered by Him." 
Moreover, a knowledge of these languages makes one 

62 



self-reliant and confident. In these days of critical coin 
mentarieSj revised versions, polychrome editions, vario- 
rum texts, higher criticism and exhumed manuscripts, a 
moderate acquaintance of the originals will enable th< 

minister to interpret accurately, compare critically, trans 
late independently, give him a sense of certainty as to the 
literal meaning of the sacred text for himself, and make 
him a most competent and trustworthy exegete of the 
Word unto others. If he can go no further in the acquisi- 
tion of a knowledge of these languages than to thorough- 
ly master an "interlinear" edition of the "Old and New 
Testament," he will be surprised how much more intelli- 
gible, suggestive and comprehensive the text will become. 
But while, as some one has tersely said, "the Interlinear 
Testaments are veritably a lantern to those who search 
the Scriptures," no student of the Word need be satisfied 
with the "lantern/' when he can, by a little labor every 
day, generate power enough to make the texts themselves 
self-illuminating. 

For constant perusal and everyday use, nothing sur- 
passes our King James' version. It is a pure well of 
English, undefiled, and the best example of idiomatic 
English extant. Here the strength, the beauty, and the 
rhythm of the Anglo-Saxon speech are found as nowhere 
else. From its anthology the quaint Chaucer, the peer- 
less Shakespeare and the chaste Macaulay culled their 
most picturesque tropes, and learned how to round off 
their most finished periods. Therefore, with all our read- 
ing of the classics this, the greatest classic in our mother 
tongue, should not be neglected. In all our study of the 
masters of style and expression, we should study the Bi- 
ble in the vernacular, for this is what made the masters 
of diction, and it can do as much for us. The revised ver- 
sion of the Holy Scriptures should not be ignored. It will 
probably never take the place, either in the public wor- 
ship of Almighty God, or in the private devotion of the 

63 



masses, which the older one has taken in the past and 
holds in the present. Nevertheless, it has its uses and 
benefits, and on these accounts should be read and stud- 
ied by preachers. Although the translation of some of 
the passages is most infelicitous and jerky, lacking both 
in smoothness and idiom, yet it will be found to be on ex- 
amination more true to the original and, therefore, more 
accurate as a translation. Hence for homiletic purposes, 
if for no other — and this whether one can read the orig- 
inals or not — it will abundantly pay for the labor bestowed 
to read it carefully, constantly and critically. 

Therefore, turn to these Scriptures, in their oriental 
and occidental dresses, and examine them daily. Consult 
them as the lawyer consults the law statutes, for prece- 
dents, for proof, for authority. Study them textually, 
topically, by chapters, by books. For, notwithstanding 
what may be said to the contrary, these Holy Scriptures 
are the "Court of Final Appeal" on all matters of faith 
and practice, and are to be more and more so in the cen- 
tury upon which we are now entering than in the latter 
part of the century just closing. Not that the Church and 
human reason are to become ciphers in the evangeliza- 
tion of the world ; but borne in the hands of the Apoca- 
lyptic Angel the everlasting Gospel is to be the prime fac- 
tor in this glorious consummation. 

After the Bible the next most important book to be 
read and studied is a comprehensive system of divinity. 
By this I mean a treatise, not written from a specifically 
denominational point of view and suitable only to the 
religious cult, from one of whose number it may have 
emanated. Nor even one which is written from a Cal- 
vanistic, or an Armenian, or any other creedal standpoint, 
but a work written from a biblical standpoint. Of course, 
it is here presupposed that we have been thoroughly 
grounded in the theology of that particular branch of the 
Church in which we are to officiate. The constant con- 

64 



sulfation of such n book would result in inestimable bene- 
fits to pulpiteers. It would prevent them from getting 
into ruts, preaching on trivial subjects, running empty, 

and dying of dry rot. It would art as an antidote to that 
spirit ^i doubt, skepticism and agnosticism, with which 
some oi our modern sermons are permeated. Said an 
English bishop some years ago: "The study of System- 
atic Theology would have prevented much of that semi- 
skepticism, which is now so painfully common among so 
many oi the clergy of the Church of England." This re- 
mark is equally applicable to the clergymen of some of 
the churches of America. Such a compendium of theol- 
ogy ought to be a companion volume of the Holy Scrip- 
tures. 

Another book, which is both needful and useful, is a 
comprehensive hymnal. The natural order seems to be 
Bibliology, Theology, Hymnology. And here again cau- 
tion should be exercised against narrowness of view. In 
the study of hymns, as in the study of theology, let the 
basal line be as broad as the Bible itself. Indeed, it will 
be discovered that some of the sweetest songs of Zion 
were penned by men, who, nerhaps, if measured by our 
individual definition of orthodoxy, would fall far short of 
the mark. Few hymns, however, are tinctured with he- 
terodoxy. When men's souls breathe themselves out in 
confession, adoration and aspiration, in holy psalmody, 
they arc expressive of human needs and divine supplies, 
not of dogmas. It will usually be found that while some 
hymns may be sectarian, the majority are devotional, and 
therefore, Scriptural, and if Scriptural, then orthodox. A 
study of the hymns of the Greek and Latin fathers, of the 
poetic productions of the French and German divines, 
will prove a spiritual benediction and a most essential and 
acceptable adjunct of pulpit ministration. Indeed, some 
of the best lyrics in the hymnals of all the churches are 
translations, and some of the most effective and moving 

65 



quotations in the most finished sermons consist of a 
stanza from some well known hymn. When, O when, 
will weary and sin sick souls tire of listening to such 
hymns — whether read, recited, or sung — as "Come, ye 
Disconsolate," or "Just As I Am," or "Thou, the Con- 
trite Sinner's Friend," or "Jesus, Lover of My Soul," or 
"Rock of Ages," or "Jesus Is Mine," and thousands of 
others? Never, so long as the human heart has sorrows 
and the human heart has woes. 

Another indispensable tool in the ministerial outfit 
which deserves more than passing mention is a standard 
dictionary. Let not this suggestion be regarded as a 
coming down from the exalted to the common place. 
Words are the vehicles of thought. Without them, 
though one may think as an angel, he cannot express 
himself as a child, much less as a man. It is really painful 
at times to see a giant intellect agonizing to deliver itself 
in verbal expression and failing for lack of proper words. 
Of course, words and words only, are not desirable, but 
words which fittingly habilitate ideas are always in de- 
mand. And these are just what many of us are constant- 
ly reminded, both in speaking and writing, that we lack. 
How are we to obtain this great desideratum? Why, just 
as we obtain other possessions, by acquiring — in this case 
— a knowledge of language. Not simply to know words 
by their sounds when spoken, or their letters when seen 
upon the printed page; but to know their origin, history, 
general and specific import. So that w T e shall have no 
thought which cannot be intelligently and correctly put 
in the most beautiful and elegant English. So that w r e 
shall not only have a verbal 'memory and an extensive 
vocabulary, but one which contains the words of the 
finest shades of meaning, which can be called forth at an 
instant's notice. Words are our currency. We should 
keep a stock on hand, as the banks keep by them various 
denominations of coins to be tendered on demand. We 



are never sure when a raid will he made on our literary 
coinage, and should therefore have ready a large amount 
of ever} sort of words for immediate use. To insure this, 
the conning of a page of some standard dictionary daily 
is the best specific. 

Other hooks might readily and heartily be recom- 
mended for reading- and studying, but my purpose is not 
to furnish a complete list. Each man will see the pro- 
priety of making himself conversant with Science, Phil- 
osophy, Church History, Biography, and of having on 
his shelves encyclopaedias, concordances, and commen- 
taries. The four above mentioned at length are recom- 
mended because they are indispensable to all men in the 
sacred vocation, and if they should study these four and 
no more, they will awake some day to find themselves 
English scholars, with a chaste imagination, a profound 
and sound theology, and a facility to clothe their thoughts 
in a language both ornate and sturdy. 

All the work thus far done, while it pays in itself, is 
nevertheless preliminary and preparatory to the great and 
more lasting labor of sermon production. It will be ob- 
served that the sermon is regarded as a product. This 
it is, in the strictest sense, of the heart and the brain. 
Although reading and studying may be in part on other 
than strictly homiletic subjects, nevertheless, even these 
should contribute their quota of sermonic material, indi- 
rectly if not directly — a kind of general preparation. This 
by furnishing the memory with principles, facts, historic 
events, dates, and illustrations, which may foe judiciously 
and skillfully woven into the fabric of the sermon. Some 
ministers seldom make other than this kind of prepara- 
tion. Adam Clark was one of these men. An admirer 
of his, w T ho heard him preach several hundred times, de- 
clared that no two texts or sermons were alike. Yet the 
Doctor's rule was never to select the text until after enter- 
ing the pulpit. But it should be borne in mind that he 

67 



spent from six to twelve hours daily, for many years, in 
studying the Holy Scriptures, and in writing his mas- 
terly commentaries on the same. Dr. Lyman Beecher's 
preparation for the pulpit was also desultory in character. 
Being questioned as to how long it took him to prepare 
a single sermon, he answered, "Forty years. " His son 
Henry followed his illustrious father's example in this 
respect. He informed a clerical acquaintance that Sun- 
day morning often found him without an idea in his head 
for the sermon. But, said he, "when I hear that great 
organ behind me, and see before me those expectant eyes, 
I always find something to say, and come out allright." 
To another friend he laughingly remarked that "he pre- 
pared for his sermons as some old woman in Vermont 
prepared biscuit in the autumn, they keep kneading the 
dough, and have it in the trough ready when occasion 
calls to twist off the biscuits and serve them up warm in 
a few moments"; upon which facetious confession, Dr. 
J. M. Buckley laconically observes, "the success of Mr. 
Beecher, when he had' made no special preparation, is not 
wonderful. Dr. Russell H. Conwell of the Institutional 
Church of Philadelphia is reported as following this gen- 
eral method. Not everyone, however, called to the min- 
istry can afford to imitate these examples. These men 
and a few others like them are exceptions to the rule. 
Others require time for special pulpit preparation, and 
must have it, even after many years of active service. 

Hence, now should follow, what may, by way of dis- 
tinction, be regarded as special preparation. What shall 
this be? How is it best performed? What is the most 
practicable way of goinsr about this business? These are 
some of the knotty questions which the professors of 
Homiletics in our Theological Seminaries, and some of 
the most able writers on this subject have been trying to 
satisfactorily answer from time immemorial. And here 
the Doctors differ. If, then, it shall be succinctly set forth 

68 



what we regard as the most excellent way of going about 
this work, that the finished article may be choice, com- 
plete and effective ; you will please understand that other 
members of the craft, with other tools and by other means 
may accomplish the end in view. It is prudent to begin 
the sermonic work early in the week. At least, select the 
texts and these the most meaty. This order will some- 
times be reversed, and the texts will be seeking the 
preacher, which will be so much the better when they are 
of the right kind. Read the context carefully. Deduce 
the topics, and get as many sidelights and skylights as 
possible to illuminate them. We may freely consult the 
original, but it is wise to turn aside from all help from 
commentaries, except that of an exegetical or historical 
character for the present. 

Dr. Henson, one of the leading divines of America, 
being asked how he constructed his weekly sermons and 
delivered them, said : "I choose my texts early. I get 
them if possible before going to bed Sunday night. I put 
them to soak — just as when you make soup, you put the 
bones in a pot and let them simmer, and later skim off 
what rises to the surface, or just as seed planted in the 
ground grows day and night unconsciously. Beyond this 
planting process my methods are very variable. I think 
it is a bad thing for a man to lie on a Procrustean bed 
and have an invariable method of making a sermon. I 
always carry a notebook in my hip pocket, loaded with 
texts, and whenever outlines of sermons come to me I 
at once make note of them. After getting a text I some- 
times have the whole outline come to me with it. It 
opens up the outlay of the land at once. Then I write 
in a hierographic fashion — a sort of shorthand — maybe 
twenty to thirty pages. This I do to clarify my thought, 
and to freshen my style; for the man who doesn't write 
is sure to drop into ruts and repeat himself world without 
end, which makes the people tired. After I have written 

69 



I go over the matter thus accumulated, maybe recast it, 
and make a syllabus, and then go over the syllabus, and 
from it make a more abbreviated syllabus, and then go 
over that syllabus till I've got it in my head. In prepar- 
ing a sermon I make it a point not to read upon the sub- 
ject immediately beforehand. It interferes with one's 
own thinking. For what with his own thinking and other 
people's all mixed up, he is all cluttered up, and the re- 
sult is apt to be* a kind of pudding-stone, instead of clear- 
cut granite. The only book that I try to keep in touch 
with, in the preparation of a sermon, is God's book. I 
want to hear what he says about it, and the less of con- 
fusion of human voices the better." This method may be 
unreservedly recommended. It is always attended with 
substantial and definite results, which is more than can be 
said for the many hit or 'miss, go-as-you-please methods 
of sermonic preparation now in vogue. Indeed, such a 
practice posits growth, and growth always augurs the 
possibility of full fruition, a finality as much to be sought 
after and aimed at in the sermon, as in any other living 
entity. 

The question is frequently asked : " Where shall suit- 
able and striking texts and topics be found?" To which 
answer is made, everywhere- Aimong the most fruitful 
sources from which they may be drawn are : (1) Current 
events — local, national and world-wide. (2) The press, 
secular and religious, with its record of philanthropy and 
misanthropy, and its daily budget of news from the two 
kingdoms of darkness and light. (3) Men, their ups and 
downs, temptations, defeats and conquests. (4) The sea- 
sons, with their distinct adumbrations of life, growth, ma- 
turity, decay, resurrection. (5) The Church year, with 
its great Christian festivals, such as Christmas, Easter, 
Pentecost. (6) Theology, with its fundamental doctrines 
of sin, repentance, faith, redemption, heaven and hell. 
(7) Commentaries, critical, expository and horniletical. 

70 



(8) The Word of God, with its teeming, pregnant truths, 
waiting for some sanctified life in which to become incar- 
nated, and through which to find utterance. What a 
treasure house, full of suggestive themes, each and every 
one of these ! They are the common base of supplies for 
all preachers of righteousness and, like a perennial stream, 
that which they send forth is both constant and fresh. 

The Biographer of Phillips Brooks tells us that 
"among the sources from which he drew most deeply 
were works of art, sculpture, architecture and painting." 
While in the recent biography of Mr. Beecher we are 
informed that he made a close and detailed study of the 
Bible for his subjects. "The Gospels he read and re-read 
with the greatest care, using all possible helps ; making 
notes of the results of his meditations, and sometimes giv- 
ing all his strength to a careful analysis of the points of 
the history or discourse. " In later life, when his time was 
much occupied, he still kept up this practice. Mr. Pond, 
who traveled thousands of miles with him, says that 
"Bible reading and study was a part of his daily work 
while on the train/' One winter he carried with him con- 
stantly Stanley's "Commentary on the Epistles to the 
Corinthians/' which he read and annotated from begin- 
ning to end. He was also constantly on the outlook for 
subjects and illustrations for sermons. Many of his note- 
books were found to contain "subjects, heads of sermons 
jotted down at moments of inspiration, in the family cir- 
cle, on the railroad, in the street car, after a talk with 
some friend; these were acorn thoughts, out of which 
grew up in time strong, wide-spreading, oak-tree ser- 
mons." While still other preachers of our day find topics 
embalmed in history and poetry and the lives of great 
and good men. If we look diligently for them they may 
be discovered on every hand. For, there are "tongues in 
trees" to him who has ears to hear, "books in running 



71 



brooks" to him who can read them, and "sermons in 
stone" to him who can extract them. 

Now begins the mental assimilation, or unconscious 
cerebration. This is a process which corresponds some- 
what to the hatching out of a chicken from an egg. Only 
in this case the glow is of the heart and brain. The ser- 
mon is now in the embryonic state. It 'begins to move 
within and this is the best evidence that it will move with- 
out. Gestation and formation are slowly but surely tak- 
ing place. Let them go on unhindered. This may be re- 
garded as the growing process ; and for brain, as well as 
for vegetable products, it is certainly the most natural, 
and usually the most satisfactory. Certainly it will result 
in a more completely developed entity. In the meantime 
the subject matter has not only been enlarging, but it has 
of its own accord been marshalling itself into an orderly 
arrangement. Perhaps, not such as one will elect that it 
shall finally assume; but sufficiently so, as that he can get 
mentally a more or less perfect outline of the subject as 
a whole. Better not try to force the process Saturday 
night, as it necessarily takes time for the roots to strike 
down and the shoots to grow up. Changing the figure, 
the mind, like a mystic architect, needs a day or two to 
draw his shadowy lines before one attempts to materialize 
them in any form. Let it work in its own way, at its 
own pleasure, and in any place. You will discover that it 
will suggest to you as you are walking by the way, as you 
are visiting the sick, as you are wooing slumber, that you 
may lay a beam here and put up a pillar there. And like 
a fairy castle, or a Gothic cathedral, your Aerial will have 
traced you, in beautiful, strong and lasting mould, a plan 
of that which should be, to you at least, a thing of beauty 
and a "joy forever." 

Nevertheless, this semi-conscious process must be 
supplemented by more or less deliberate labor. This 
must be done to bring texts and subjects into proper 



alignment. Also, that the sermon outline may shape it- 
self into a progressive unit. This is designed or conscious 
arrangement in contra-distinction to the former process. 
Such arrangement of one's subject, preparatory to presen- 
tation, has always been regarded as second only in im- 
portance to its selection. It is one of the fundamental 
laws of sermon structure and development. It is indis- 
pensable to clarity and entirety. The preacher should see 
his sermon from one end to the other. He must have it 
in connected and manageable form, or when he comes to 
its delivery, it will be disjointed and rhapsodic. There 
will be no interlinking of thought to thought. No yok- 
ing of division to division. No looming up before him of 
a complete whole. This comes only when there has been 
some preliminary labor bestowed upon the adjustment 
and disposition of its parts. 

It is immaterial what may be the scientific method 
followed, whether the analytical, synthetical, paragraph- 
ical, or divisional, so long as it is orderly and does not 
result in a heterogeneous mass of undigested thoughts 
and disconnected ideas, which have no adhesive proper- 
ties, and no logical sequence. No wonder that when this 
labor has not been bestowed, some preachers — as has 
been said — are like birds. "They hop about a text as the 
birds hop.about a morsel of bread ; eye it shyly and hop 
away again, only to reappear from time to time to give 
the text a nibble, as the birds give the bread a peck." The 
principal reason for this hesitation and trepidation is, that 
at the proper time and place there was no effort at orderly 
arrangement of thoughts, no joining together of points, 
as in the links of a chain, one to the other. Consequently 
when the time arrived for the presentation of the subject 
matter, instead of a compact array of ideas trooping forth 
one after another, like soldiers in a well disciplined army, 
they come crowding and tumbling one over the other, 
helter-skelter. Arrangement, then, is the first law of the 

73 



sermon. Therefore, if one would not present a jerky and 
disconnected discourse, as loose as sand and as weak as 
water, special attention must be given to this part of ser- 
monic preparation. 

Thus far little, if any, writing should be done. But 
now we are ready to sit down, and, with the aid of the 
hand and eye, co-operate with the busy brain and put in 
more durable form, for present and future use, the result 
of our mental conception. How much of our thought 
shall be committed to paper? Well, the answer to this 
question pivots upon what answ r er is made to another, 
namely, what method do we purpose to adopt in the de- 
livery of the sermon? Are we intending, or are we ex- 
temporaneous preachers? Or, what is known as memor- 
iter preachers? Or do we intend to take with us into the 
pulpit notes and headings, or a manuscript in full from 
which to read? We must pause here to find out which 
method we intend to adopt, or have adopted, and prac- 
tice, before the question "How much shall be written?'' 
can be intelligently answered. Of these methods of ser- 
mon delivery the extemporaneous is that which, on the 
whole, is best for the preacher and the most acceptable to 
the people. Let this one remark suffice as an answer for 
the present. It is not intended as a reflection on the other 
methods in vogue, but only as a vindication and a rati- 
fication of that method which should 'be more generally 
followed. Write some, use none — that is, in the pulpit — 
is a good motto. It largely depends upon how preachers 
begin as to how they will continue in this matter. No 
one method, however, of sermonic preparation is so much 
superior that it should be invariably followed to the ex- 
clusion of all others. 

The various methods of sermonizing in general prac- 
tice are five : (1) The sermon that is written in full and 
read. (2) That which is written in full and memorized. 
(3) The composite, consisting of parts that are written 

74 



and committed, and parts that are extemporized. 
(4) That which has been carefully thought out and par- 
tially written, and is preached from notes more or less 
full. (5) That which has been premeditated, mentally 
outlined as to general form, and is preached with notes or 
manuscript, from a full heart and a glowing brain. The 
last is, in the best sense, extemporaneous. Its advantages 
make it the most excellent way of all others in the prep- 
aration and delivery of a sermon. Among them are nat- 
uralness, simplicity and directness. The power to obtain 
and retain the attention of an audience. A freedom which 
leaves the preacher open to catch any stray thoughts, 
illustrations or facts, which may come within range of his 
mental feelers, even while delivering the sermon. Southey 
said of Whitefield : "The salient points of his oratory were 
not prepared passages ; they were bursts of passion, like 
the jets of a geyser when the spring is in full play/' It 
admits of more fire and fervor and force. Any speaker 
who has the oratorical temperament will be able, after 
thoroughly working out the subject matter, to step forth 
and deliver it with more pleasure to his listeners and com- 
parative satisfaction to himself, than 'by 'mechanically re- 
citing or reading it. While this method may do away 
with some of the drudgery of writing or memorizing, it 
will keep the brain and the nerves on a longer tension 
than any of the others. Nevertheless, it is by far the best 
way of delivering the message. But to do so with ac- 
ceptability, observe (1) that an extemporaneous preacher 
should have a comprehensive, mental grip of his subject. 
(2) An extensive vocabulary and a ready command of 
words. (3) He should vary his rhetorical forms of ex- 
pression, alternating and interchanging freely the inter- 
rogative, the exclamatory, the didactic and the adverbial 
forms. (4) Make what, in written composition would be 
termed paragraphic beginnings and endings. (5) Take a 
new start, changing the pitch of the voice and the form 

75 



of verbal construction. (6) See to it that he does not re- 
traverse his ground and repeat himself. This he can do 
by observing movement. Method, progress and climax 
should be the order followed. (7) Give special attention 
to the exordium and the peroration. Make one simple 
and gradual, the other forceful, compact and conclusive. 

While, however, I strongly advocate following the 
purely extemporaneous method in the preparation and de- 
livery of a sermon, I would also advise an occasional writ- 
ing out, in part or in whole, without taking the same into 
the pulpit, for the sake of logical arrangement, verbal 
felicity and variety. Also because writing makes an exact 
man, and this is the kind of man the preacher should al- 
ways aim to be. A wise course to pursue, on the whole, 
is to make oneself conversant with the subject matter of 
the sermon, study it in all its relations, topographically, 
historically, theologically. Ponder over it until it begins 
to incubate, expand and fashion itself in thought struc- 
ture ; then block it out on paper, for the help of the eye 
and preservation, and finally fill in, toy writing more or 
less, as the subject seems to demand and the material per- 
mit. Then lay the whole aside and with what has by this 
time been written on the tablet of the heart and burned 
into the brain ; go, and in the name of God and one's own 
concentrated personality deliver to the people the mes- 
sage divinely received, in the language which the Holy 
Ghost shall suggest and furnish. 

When the contents of a manuscript are to be commit- 
ted to memory and recited, or read verbatim, a fuller 
writing out is demanded. That this fuller writing may re- 
sult in a more elaborate product and in a more perfect 
rhetorical finish of sentences and rounding of periods, is, 
generally speaking, true. And yet, there is extempor- 
aneous speaking. The first has all the defects of the lat- 
ter without possessing any of its merits. If no unpropor- 
tioned or immature thoughts found place for themselves 

76 



in written composition and they did in spoken discourse, 
then a clear and strong case would be made out in favor 
of the one and against the other. Such a case has never 
been, and cannot be, successfully made. Whether one 
write much, or little, he should seek a superlative style 
and an exalted literary standard. Sermonic composition 
is like all other composition. Its excellency pivots upon 
a due regard to the same rules and regulations. There is, 
in a restrictive sense, no such thing as "sacred rhetoric." 
The language used in the sermon should be such as is in 
the best use among lawyers, doctors, journalists and busi- 
ness men. It must not be bookish, or conventional, or 
technical. It will, of necessity, be biblical, in the highest 
sense. But not to the extent that the listener will regard 
it as being an excerpt, or citation, in toto, from the Holy 
Scriptures. 

Whatever may be the method followed in preaching 
the sermon in its preparation a threefold object should 
constantly be kept in mind and closely adhered to. First, 
simplicity of sermon structure. This is absolutely essen- 
tial in order that it may readily be recalled by the preacher 
when he comes to deliver it, and also that the people may 
grasp and retain it. To ignore this plain rule is to burden 
the memory and fail to present — and this the best for- 
sooth — what the auditors could comprehend or remem- 
ber. The enumeration of sermonic divisions, whether an- 
nounced or not, will tend to burden the speaker, and, if 
stated, to confuse, if not confound, the hearers. To make 
points, but not until they run up into the teens, is proper. 
Divisions also should be made, for without them there is 
a liability of becoming disconnected in thought and rhap- 
sodic in delivery. But these should be as simple in char- 
acter as they can be, and as few as are needful for per- 
spicuity and force in number. 

The second end at which to aim in working out the 
sermon is "Scripturalness of matter." It is marvelous 

77 



what power there is in the Word of God. It is the ham- 
mer that crushes out all opposition and breaks in pieces 
the stoutest hearts. The words of men are frequently 
most choice, most touching and most potent. Yet for 
beauty and pathos, and force and power, they fall far 
short of being comparable with the words of the Bible 
used in a biblical connection. Of these Jesus remarked : 
"They are spirit and they are life/' They have those 
germs of vitality and regeneration that the mere words of 
men, however grouped, arranged and presented, lack. In 
the structure of some sermons scriptural matter can enter 
in great chunks and huge blocks. As for example in the 
textual and expository sermon. This, because they are 
largely scriptural in their main divisions, and in their 
essence. In sermons of other types, such as the "topical" 
and the "observational," it is not feasible to put in as large 
lumps of solidified verbal matter from this quarry of 
God's Word, as in the former. Nevertheless, put phrases, 
sentences and verses and all. Like the weaver, who, 
though he may have a rough warp on the loom, when 
he comes to the weft will throw in a shuttle of white and 
another of blue, until he produces a pattern of the design 
sought. So throw into the web of the discourse the shut- 
tles containing the words that shine, attract and live. 

The third end to be kept in view in the make-up of 
a sermon is that it shall be, no matter what its text, topic 
or structure, Christo Centric in drift. I do not mean by 
this that Christ should be the specific theme of every ser- 
mon. The Book of Esther, though it does not contain 
the name of Jehovah, nevertheless teaches in a clear and 
forcible manner His existence, attributes and providence. 
So with the sermon. Even though it should not contain 
the name of Christ it may teach Him, and emphasize His 
redemptive scheme. To Him all the prophets bore wit- 
ness, but not all in the same way or manner, as did Isaiah. 
So did the writers of the Epistles, but not all so emphatic- 

78 



ally as Paul. Yet the drift of prophets, evangelists and 
apostles, in their prophecies, narratives and letters, is all 
Christward. They are like confluent streams which to 
the ocean run. Or like fire ascending, which seeks the 
sun. Christ is the ocean into which they empty, the sun 
they reveal. All texts, like the roads of the old Roman 
Empire which led to Rome, should terminate in Him. He 
is the golden milestone of the ages. Around this blessed 
center all illustrative, instructive and sermonic material 
should cluster for illumination, as the swinging, swirling 
orbs about the sun. Let Christ be the centre of the ser- 
mon, as it is fashioned in thought, written and preached. 
We are now ready to pass from the travail of the 
workshop into the sacred precincts of the pulpit ; to step 
from the work bench to the throne. I have said nothing 
in this chapter of prayer and the divine agencies, which 
the minister should seek through prayer in his work of 
sermon building. It has been assumed that the man of 
God will not neglect these sources of mental and moral 
quickening. It has been with the human part of the ser- 
mon and its mechanism, and of the preacher as a toiler, 
that I have dealt. It remains true, however, and ever 
must, in the expressive Latin maxim so often cited by 
Luther that "bene orasse est, bene studuisse est" — to 
pray well is to study well — and this should be the motto 
on the walls of the minister's workshop, as well as the 
actuating principle of the workman. 



79 



CHAPTER V. 



THE PULPIT AND ITS CONCOMITANTS. 



The transition from the study to the pulpit should 
produce as great a transformation in outward appearance 
as would naturally take place in the artisan when in the 
shop, and the artisan when in his Sunday best. This 
should not be in externals only, but likewise in the feel- 
ings, emotions and general deportment. The preacher 
should ascend the pulpit w r ith dignified demeanor and as 
a king's ambassador. As such he is to represent Him, 
speak for Him, and in His stead. It is His message which 
he is to deliver. It is in His name that he stands there. 
It is because he is the plenipotentiary of His kingdom 
that he is to speak with authority, and not as other men, 
or the same man in another sphere. It therefore be- 
hooves him to take heedboth to himself and his doctrine, 
that every movement, and action, and word, he such as 
becometh the accredited servant of the King of Kings. 
Every look and motion should be regarded, not simply 
under the eye of man, but of God. Performing, levity 
and laxity are out of place here. He may play the actor 
or the poltroon, if he must, in his own house, not in 
God's. 

"Would I describe a preacher . . . 
I would express him simple, grave, sincere; 
In doctrine uncorrupt, in language plain, 
And plain in manner, decent, solemn, chaste, 
And natural in gesture ; much impressed 
Himself, as conscious of his awful charge, 
And anxious mainly that the flock he feeds 
May feel it too ; affectionate in look 
And tender in address, as well becomes 
A messenger of grace to guilty imen." 

80 



There ought to be nothing about him which savors 
of artificiality or affectation. Massillion says: "I love a 
serious preacher, who speaks for my sake, not his own, 
who seeks my salvation and not his own vain glory. He 
best deserves to be heard who uses speech only to clothe 
his thoughts, and his thoughts to promote truth and vir- 
tue." And people of common sense still ask for such a 
one in the pulpits of today, as Cowper describes and Mas- 
sillion loved. 

The scriptural rule that everything be done decently 
and in order should be punctilliously observed. No 
mounting the rostrum with a skip and a jump. Upon 
ascending it bow the head in silent prayer. If conveni- 
ent the arms may rest upon the sacred desk, and the face 
turned to the congregation, so that when it is lifted from 
communion wnth God, the people may behold it irradiated 
with Heaven's own light. If Moses's face shone after 
communion with Jehovah, why should not ours? The 
Mount of Transfiguration is not far, I ween, from one's 
pulpit. If there is a regular order of service arranged 
in the Church of which one is pastor it is respectful to 
follow it closely. It may not permit of the same variety 
as would otherwise be feasible under an eclectic regime. It 
will, nevertheless, lead to a uniformity which more than 
offsets the sameness which attaches to such a regular 
order. Furthermore, it will be consecutive and logical, 
systematic and homogeneous ; properties which are con- 
spicuously absent in the other. 

Hymns should be announced distinctly in order to be 
readily found. It is not nowadays customary to "line 
them," as was the practice years ago. But to do so occa- 
sionally, when the people cannot see to read clearly, will 
be found an aid to congregational singing and perfectly 
proper. At other times an impressive reading of the 
hymn, in whole or in part, will add greatly to the devo- 
tional part of the service. When doing so it is not alto- 

81 



gether the elocutionary pause which should be apparent, 
but what the musician terms "feeling" which is put into 
the language and the rhythm, which makes the reading 
effective. It is pertinent to say here and now that the 
different parts of the service which are to be read aloud 
cannot be rendered acceptably, unless some attention is 
g-iven them beforehand. To read aloud intelligently and 
well one must see and hear and pronounce the words, 
mark the pauses and forecast the drift o<f what is coming 
without breaking the continuity of the thought or speech. 
This comparatively few persons can do successfully. 
Hence so many poor public readers and the reason why 
all parts of the public service which are to be read aloud 
should be gone over audibly, at least once, before enter- 
ing the sanctuary. 

In selecting the Scripture lessons be governed by 
one of two rules, either select those portions which are 
germane to the subject of the sermon, or else such pas- 
sages as will most quickly attract the attention of the list- 
less and edify the whole assembly. A rule followed by 
the writer for years has been to make the entire service, 
from the opening hymn to the benediction, a unit, as to 
the central thought of the whole. It may be said that 
this method has its disadvantages as well as its advan- 
tages. This is possi'bly true, but it certainly accomplishes 
one of the principal ends to be aimed at in divine worship, 
which is to present one axial idea in the service, and 
group around it song, prayer, scripture, exposition and 
admonition. It tends to centralization of thought and 
prevents scattering. It focalizes, like a sun-glass, the di- 
vergent rays of truth. It results in a clearer vision of 
duty, in consecration of heart and life, and frequently in 
a 'better knowledge of God's will. Never select the Bible 
lessons after entering the pulpit. Look them up before- 
hand, work them over in the alembic of the brain and fuse 
them in the heart, so that they can be read without halt- 

82 



ing or hesitation, expressively and forcibly. Take Ezra 
as a model. Like him, open the Book and read therein — 
not recite, nor mumble, nor intone — but read in the sight 
of all the people, in such a way and manner that they 
may understand. To do this well requires that the mouth 
be opened and the articulation distinct. 

Public prayers should be carefully thought out. Some 
ministers write them and read them, others have them 
printed in their Church Liturgies, and intone them. But 
one may be an extemporaneous petitioner. He doubtless 
will be, if he is an extemporaneous preacher. But if this 
method of preaching presupposes, nay demands, previous 
thought and preparation, why should not this way of 
praying? The incongruity and incompatibility of a prayer 
for the salvation of the heathen at a meeting called in the 
interests of temperance or moral purity would be glaring- 
ly apparent. But not one whit more so than are some of 
the prayers offered in our pulpits from Sabbath to Sab- 
bath, when compared with the subjects of the sermons 
preached therein and the varied needs of the Church and 
the world. 

Before expatiating upon the sermon a word of ex- 
hortation touching the notices and collection will be in 
order. These are matters of minor importance to sing- 
ing, reading, praying and preaching. Consequently they 
are by custom sandwiched somewhere in the betweenity 
of the above named. Dr. Durbin made his announce- 
ments before opening the service proper. There are grave 
objections to doing this. The best place, on the whole, 
is somewhere before the sermon and after the scripture 
lessons. A judicious disposition of the notices is to an- 
nounce in full all prayer and business meetings and all 
social gatherings, directly connected with the local 
church and its organizations from the pulpit, eliminating 
therefrom, if written, any irrelevant or gushing phrase- 
ology. For all others, coming from outside sources, a 

83 



bulletin board in the vestibule of the Church may be use- 
fully employed. After examining them have the usher 
put what you think are proper thereupon, the others cast 
aside. Never let the pulpit become an advertizing bureau. 
Shut out of it "Cheap Johns" and their catch-penny plac- 
ards. It is a sacred desk and not a newspaper editor's 
tripod from which notices of social events are sent forth. 
Take little time in making announcements. Cut them 
down in number and in length. Some preachers occupy 
more time in discharging this duty than in preaching the 
sermon. I once heard one take about twenty minutes in 
calling and commenting upon an annual trustee meeting. 
We think it a religious duty to teach the people that 
a collection at each public sendee is a sacred and indis- 
pensable part of divine worship. It is an act of devotion. 
Paying is co-ordinate with praying. Cornelius was in- 
formed by a special messenger from Heaven that his 
alms, as well as his prayers, were part of the memorial 
which had preceded him there. The man who objects to 
give to the Lord on the Sabbath day usually objects on 
any day. It is axiomatic that anything which costs little 
is worth little. Therefore, never minimize or undervalue, 
or let any of the people, this part of the public w r orship of 
Almighty God. The man who allows the plate to pass 
him without his contribution will as readily let the truths 
which he hears pass him by unreceived. The water of life 
may be free, but it costs something to keep the various 
conduits through which it passes in repair. The Bread of 
Life may be furnished without money and without price, 
but to break it with feeble, fleshy hands, requires some- 
thing more than faith and prayer. David refused to re- 
ceive the threshing floor of Oman without paying for it 
every cent it was worth ; nobly and persistently declaring 
that he would verily buy it for the full price, and that he 
would not take that which was Oman's for the Lord, nor 
offer burnt offerings without cost. "So David gave to 

84 



Oman for the place six hundred shekels of gold by 
weight." How much more then should the people be 
taught that the Church is better than a threshing floor, 
and for the privilege of worshipping God there they 
should cheerfully and willingly pay the full price. Not as 
little as they can, but as much as they can. Not the few- 
est times possible, but as many times as opportunity 
permits. 

What is here said of the collection applies equally to 
the "Connectional Benevolences." Dignify and exalt 
them. Let them be represented to the best of our ability, 
for upon our representation of them to our congregation 
much depends as to what their sum total shall be from 
year to year. Beware of inflating them by questionable 
devices. If they are they will fall -back, like water, to their 
own level ultimately, or below it. Present them without 
excuse or apology. We may give to them ourselves and 
let this be known. The knowledge that we contribute will 
prompt someone else to do likewise. In the matter of 
giving some men are like pumps, they frequently need 
priming. Or, like siphons, they pour forth of their own 
contents more readily when well started. We should 
never give the people an idea that in responding to our 
appeal they either put us personally, or our Lord, under 
any obligations. When the Bible or Missionary, or any 
other special cause has been presented, make, them feel 
that to give of their substance to any or all of these is 
"more blessed than to receive." And that those who give 
of the lesser things are the recipients of this benediction, 
which is of more value than silver or gold. 

Now for the presentation of the message. It is taken 
for granted, at this point, that all the preparatory work 
on the sermon has received attention in its proper place. 
If this has been done, then all that remains is to cite text 
and announce theme. As to which shall take precedence, 
the text or the subject, is not always important, but that 

85 



they should both be distinctly stated seems to me essen- 
tial. Why permit at the very commencement of the most 
weighty part of divine worship the hearers to remain in 
doubt regarding the topic? Better put them at ease at 
once by stating the subject. Condense this into few 
words. Simplify it. If the text is intricate and difficult 
to understand by reason of some recondite or archealog- 
ical allusion, seek to do, as an old divine once quaintly 
said, "disembrass it." Much will depend upon the after 
effect and weight of the discourse as to the plainness of 
the text and the aptness of the theme. We need not seek 
odd and out of the way texts, neither shun them always. 
Nevertheless, we may have an eye out for some which are 
seldom used, and also take some which are old and well 
known. A novel and striking text and topic will rivet at 
once the attention of an audience. This ordinarily is com- 
pensation enough to warrant its employment. Likewise, 
preach on great themes. The renowned sermons of the 
masters of the pulpit have been on such themes. Jona- 
than Edwards's most celebrated sermon which has come 
down to us was on "The Sinner in the Hands of an Angry 
God/' and Thomas Chalmers's on "The Expulsive Power 
of a New Affection," and Merle d'Aubigne's on "The 
Three Onlys," and Doctor Candlish's on "The Universal 
Doom," and John Cutniming's on "The Great Tribula- 
tion," and Francis Wayland's on "The Moral Dignity of 
Missions," and George W. Bethune^ on "Victory Over 
Death and the Grave," and Tholuck's on "Christ the 
Touchstone of Human Hearts." These themes contain 
in them the very core of the Gospel in somewhat novel 
but potent phraseology. 

It is here presupposed that prayer has been offered 
for divine guidance in the selection of text and subject, 
so that the preacher can say with much assurance, as he 
stands up to speak in his Lord's name, the text to which 
Providence directs this morning is found in the Gospel by 



St. John, the third chapter, and at the sixteenth verse. Or 
the message that I am divinely directed to deliver this 
evening is on "Justification by Faith." While the posi- 
tion taken by Dr. Florton in his "Verbum Dei," as to 
present day inspiration, and of the minister in this nine- 
teenth century receiving his message straight from God, 
as did the prophets and apostles under the Old and New 
Testament dispensations, is too far reaching and ultra; 
nevertheless, direct guidance as to one's text, subject and 
message, has been promised, should (be expected, and 
earnestly sought. Undoubtedly that is the purport of our 
Lord's pledge to those whom he had called to preach the 
Gospel — and to their successors equally — when he said : 
"For it shall be given you in that hour what ye shall 
speak." And of the proverb, "The preparation of the 
heart in man, and the answer of the tongue is from the 
Lord." It is likewise part of the Holy Spirit's office work 
in the present era. If this heavenly superintendence is 
not sought and obtained, it will often be pertinent to put 
the question to the preacher of to-day that Joab put to 
Ahimaaz, "Wherefore wilt thou run, my son, seeing that 
thou hast no tidings ready?" But on the other hand, if 
he has sought guidance from Jehovah, like Ehud, he will 
be able 'confidently to say, every time he appears in the 
pulpit, "I have a message from God unto you." 

Dr. Kidder's practice in this matter is highly com- 
mendable. Says his biographer, "Upon the mind of a 
careful listener, Dr. Kidder made the impression that he 
was a deeply religious preacher. He was willing to under- 
take the sermon only with the assurance that he was 
divinely aided." Among his private papers are some pray- 
ers written out by himself for his own particular profit 
and guidance. There is one entitled "Prayer for aid in 
selecting subjects and in preacriing the Gospel." A few 
extracts will show his spirit in approaching this solemn 
duty : "O, God, I thank Thee that, unworthy as I am, 

87 



Thou has not only called -me from darkness to light and 
made me a partaker of the grace of salvation, but hast 
commissioned me to preach to my fellowmen the un- 
searchable riches of Christ. Once more the duty devolves 
upon me of standing before the people to proclaim Thy 
word of truth. O, fonbid that with languid indifference I 
should content myself with the mere formality of preach- 
ing; rather may I rise to the highest conception of the 
greatness of the responsibility and of the eternal interests 
which ever depend upon the right and faithful discharge 
of so momentous a duty. O, give felicity and power of 
thought, readiness and force of utterance, convincing 
speech, and the demonstration of the influence of the 
Holy Ghost. Deliver me, O, Lord, from wanderings of 
thought, from the intrusion of worldly interests or cares 
or influences, but especially from all vanity of mind or 
the slightest disposition to seek the applause of men. 
When I enter the sacred desk let Thine overshadowing 
presence be round me, and let me and the people feel that 
God is there." Whenever Pericles was about to deliver 
an oration to the people he was accustomed to pray to 
the gods, that nothing might go out of his mouth but 
what should be to the purpose. How much more than 
should the ambassador of the Most High pray for a like 
guidance as to his utterance before the people ! What an 
example for preachers of righteousness to follow. 

The introduction should be concise and compact, 
ornate and attractive, bright and, in the best sense, catchy. 
It is the vestibule, or entrance, to the inner courts of the 
sermon proper. If this part is not inviting and entertain- 
ing, we may fail to get our listeners further than the 
threshold of the opening thought. While explanatory 
matter is proper ~aT this point, an illustration, a short 
story, or a personal incident, will awaken interest, and 
pique the curiosity. These gained, we may then pro- 
ceed to develop our subject and enforce our message. 

88 



Whether one shall announce his propositions beforehand 
— as the preachers of the past invariably did, and some 
of to-day do — is purely a matter of personal choice. Bet- 
ter do this than be as some preachers without proposi- 
tions to announce. This custom has, however, been 
largely superceded and the trend to-day is for less and less 
of the mechanical structure, or skeleton of the sermon, to 
appear in the delivery. Nevertheless it must have some 
general outline to it or it will be formless and pointless. 
While it is well to* keep out of sight much of the frame- 
work of the sermon, we like to hear the preacher occa- 
sionally give the salient divisions of his discourse, present 
his propositions, and establish them. Whether this is 
done or not it should always be apparent to the intelli- 
gent listener that an orderly classification and arrange- 
ment of the subject matter of the sermon exist in the mind 
of the preacher. Without these the sermon will be dis- 
connected, rhapsodic and forceless. This is liable to be 
more conspicuously the case in extemporaneous preach- 
ing. Bishop Simpson advised that "if divisions be an- 
nounced, they should be simple in their character, and 
few in number." To give point and pith to his advice he 
tells the following incident: "I remember once to have 
heard a preacher on the text 'Behold the Lamb of God/ 
announce in rapid succession twenty-four characteristics 
in which men might behold him. When he reached the 
twelfth there was a look of surprise, and at the sixteenth 
of amazement ; when he announced the twentieth a broad 
smile, and when he reached the twenty-fourth a sup- 
pressed titter through the whole congregation." Probably 
but few, if any, of these points were impressed upon the 
listeners, whereas three or four of the principal ones out 
of the twenty-four might have been judiciously selected, 
earnestly presented and carried thence to be meditated 
upon and observed. 

Here is the place and time to bring all native and 

89 



acquired gifts into line. Marshal them as a general would 
an army. Mother wit, sanctified common sense, logic, 
rhetoric, philosophy, theology should all be ready as sub- 
sidiary forces to obey the command of the will and to 
present themselves in single file or in one solid phalanx. 
Be direct, pointed, pungent, but not personal. Smite sin 
in high, as wefl as low, life when found there. Yea, even 
though it be in the person of a mitred prince, or purple- 
robed royalty. Take aim in preaching. Bring your guns 
in range with sin and never lower them for men or devils. 
Make the. sinner feel that sin is heinous and deadly and 
damning and that it cannot be gilded over with the trap- 
pings of wealth or office. Be as faithful in discharging 
your embassy as was Nathan before David, Samuel be- 
fore Saul, and John before Herod. 

Special attention must be paid to the peroration. Not 
so much as to the form it shall take, whether admonitory, 
recapitulative, or deductive, but rather to its matter. 
Much which has been said from the exordium up to this 
point will perhaps have been forgotten before the close 
is reached. Hence, the closing sentences should stick like 
goads fastened by a master of assemblies in a sure place 
and in a sure way. Just the particular form it shall take 
will depend upon what the theme is, and what the design 
is in presenting it. Sometimes an abrupt stop at the end 
of the discussion, that is followed by a solemn repetition 
of the text itself, will furnish a most weighty and im- 
pressive conclusion. This especially if the text be admon- 
itory in its nature. Much depends, however, as to the 
character of the concluding remarks, on the sermon ijtself. 
A mild exhortation at the close of a strong fiery rebuking 
of sin would be too tame an ending for such a discourse. 
There needs to be a cracker at the end of such a whip 
which shall not only make a whir but which shall snap 
and sting and bite. What would Christ's invective against 
the desecrators of His Father's house have been, with- 

90 



out its closing remark, "Ye have made it a den of 
thieves !" Doubtless the overturning of the tables of the 
money-changers and the laying on of the knotty thongs 
made those sacrilegious Jews cringe and wince. That they 
felt half so bad, or smarted half so long from these, as 
they did from those stinging, biting words, is exceedingly 
questionable. What would John's sermon to the multi- 
tudes of Judea have been, without his ringing, peremp- 
tory command, "Bring forth meat for repentance !" Or 
Peter's at Pentecost, if he had left out the words, "Re- 
pent and be baptized, everyone of you, in the name of 
Jesus Christ, for the remission of sins." 

Other types of sermons will require other material 
with which to sum up. Usually no better way of conclud- 
ing this part of divine worship will offer itself than to re- 
peat a striking and appropriate passage of Scripture ; a 
brief prayer, or to ascribe honor and praise to the Deity. 
But one will doubtless readily conceive the kind of matter 
which should be used on each occasion. Much, then, 
should be made of the termination of the discourse. Make 
it a paean of victory, or a solemn warning, as the occasion 
may demand. 

Pulpit diction may now receive brief mention. That 
it should differ in some well marked features from that 
employed in the shops, the marts of trade, courts of law 
and halls of legislature passes without 'being stated. Yet 
enough attention and discrimination are not given to it. 
It is so easy to formulate glittering generalities wdiich 
mean little or nothing ; to get into the habit of using pet 
phrases, set speeches and a crass language, both in prayer 
and sermon, that one needs to be constantly on his guard 
against these common faults. All slang words should be 
avoided and every other kind which would demean the 
man, the place, or the message. Still there is danger 
from the other extreme. While the diction of some 
preachers is too commonplace that of others is too stately 

91 



and starchy. It is bookish, pedantic and polysyllabic. It 
dates back to Chaldea, or Rome, or Greece. It is too fine 
and too antique. The diction best suited to the sermon 
is that clear, lucid English, which a constant perusal of 
the Bible and Shakespeare will unconsciously impart. 
Words short and easily understood. A sample of which 
is found in Christ's parable of the Prodigal Son. Imitate 
this. It should contain few words that are not in the best 
and most general use, and fewer still of words which are 
distinctively theological and metaphysical. In using illus- 
trations from the sciences or the arts, then, for the sake of 
accuracy, words may be employed which pertain strictly 
to them, and are technical and conventional. Such terms, 
however, as metempsychosis, trans-substantiation, et al., 
should be expunged from one's pulpit vocabulary. 

Closely connected with "pulpit diction" is "pulpit 
gesture." That certain gestures should be made during 
the delivery of a sermon is both natural and desirable. If 
appropriate and becoiming they set off, and add much to 
its effectiveness. That a <man should stand stock-still like 
the town pump, because he is in the pulpit, is not abso- 
lutely requisite. Neither that his hands should hang down 
limp at his sides. He should move about easily and 
gracefully, anon giving emphasis to what he is saying by 
a wave of the hand, or moving forward, or pointing with 
the index finger, as will best accord with the sentiments 
he is at the moment desirous of expressing. But here 
again caution and vigilance are in demand lest this ad- 
junct be overworked. To run back and forth, pound the 
desk, swing the arms, like the sails of an old-fashioned 
windmill, are not becoming, much less helpful as aids to 
pulpit eloquence. The dramatic art is not to be practiced 
on the sacred dias. If anywhere, its place is the rostrum 
or the stage. 

Furthermore, few preachers make good actors. No 
audience that wishes to see the Gospel acted out would 

92 



be pleased with their performance. If acting and not 
preaching are wanted the theater and not the Church of 
God is where it is most likely to be found. A Garrick, a 
Keene, or a Booth, may pose on the "boards," not in the 
sacred desk. That there is an admixture of the art of 
depicting in preaching is doubtless true. It is such, how- 
ever, as was practiced by Savonarola, Irving, Massillon, 
Whitefield and other noted divines of later date. Or per- 
haps such as follows the instruction of Hamlet given to 
the players, which instruction is equally pat to all public 
speakers, namely : "Speak the speech, I pray you, as I 
pronounced it to you, trippingly on the tongue, but if you 
mouth it ... I had as lief the town crier spoke my 
lines. Nor do not sajw the air too much with your hands 
thus, but use all gently, for in the very torrent, tempest 
. . . whirlwind of your passion, you must acquire and 
beget a temperance that may give it smoothness. . . . 
Be not too tame neither, but let your own discretion be 
your tutor, suit the action to the word, the word to the 
action ; with this special observance, that you o'erstep not 
the modesty of nature ; for anything so overdone is from 
the purpose of playing, whose end, both at the first and 
now, was and is to hold, as it were, the mirror up to 
nature; to show virtue her own feature, scorn her own 
image and the very age and body of time his form and 
pressure." Or forsooth, what is still better, such as we 
may conceive the Saviour himself employed, when he de- 
livered His matchless sermons and spake His inimitable 
parables. Can we not almost see the majestic wave of 
His hand, as He begins, "Behold, a sower went forth to 
sow/' Or, as with outstretched arm, extended aloft He 
says : "Behold the fowls of the air." Or again, as He 
looks upon the fields clothed with verdure, He calls upon 
His auditors, with index finger pointing them out, to 
"Consider the lilies of the field/' Thus aiding, by the 
hand, the eye and the movement of different members of 

93 



the body, the delineation of the thoughts and feelings of 
His great mind and heart. 

In buttressing the foregoing observations, it may be 
well to note that there are two kinds of gesture recog- 
nized by elocutionists. They are the "rhetorical" and the 
"'colloquial." The first of these is suitable to pulpit dis- 
course generally. It is the concomitant of forensic ora- 
tory, whether at the bar, in the pulpit, or on the hustings. 
The second usually accompanies conversation and famil- 
iar talks. Care needs to be exercised lest in adopting the 
conversational style in public speaking, the delivery be- 
comes too quiet and the action too tame. For this fault 
Addison roasted the pulpiteers of his day. "Our preach- 
ers," he says, "stand stock still in the pulpit, and will not 
so much as move a finger to set off the best sermon in 
the world. They talk of life and death in cold blood, and 
keep their temper in a discourse which turns upon every- 
thing that is dear to man." Sidney Smith, also, anim- 
adverting on the frigid and languid manner in which some 
of his associates presented their message, adds : "The 
sermon has come to mean a piece of writing in which 
there is an absence of everything agreeable and inviting." 
And goes on to ask: "Are preachers holy lumps of ice? 
Is sin to be taken from men, as Eve was taken from 
Adam, by casting them into a deep sleep? Why call in 
the aid of paralysis to piety? Is it a rule of oratory to 
handle the sublimest truths in the driest manner?" These 
strictures and these interrogatives are as relevant and as 
applicable to same o>f the preachers of to-day as they were 
of the cotemporaries of Addison and Smith. Such tame- 
ness and masterly inactivity in the Baptist, in Peter, in 
Paul, would never have brought the proud Pharisees to 
repentance, or caused the crowds at Pentecost to charge 
the impetuous Apostle with drunkenness, or prompted 
Felix to declare Paul mad. 

Too few and too inept gestures are common in the 

94 



pulpit of every age. Professor Porter tells of one preacher 
— and he, by the way, has many imitators, who had only 
three gestures, his first was with his right hand, his sec- 
ond with his left, and his last with both. And yet these 
are preferable — for they are orderly and timely — to aim- 
less gyrations, automatic twitchings, see-saw and pump- 
handle movements of so many of our public speakers. 
Quintillian undoubtedly had such men in his mind's eye, 
when he exclaimed: "They saw the air, they use their 
hands as if they were claw T s, pawing with them, they 
thrust out their arm, inverting the thumb and call this 
speaking in a commanding gesture, while another blows 
and wipes his nose without necessity." 

Still another form of infelicitous gesture is in always 
putting the hand on that part of the body which may be 
adverted to in the discourse. If it be the heart it is appro- 
priate to lay the hand impressively over it. But care 
should be taken that the hand finds the proper locality. 
For if it should rest a little too far to the right, or a little 
too low the exact spot, as is frequently the case, the ges- 
ture will arouse the risibilities of the audience, and create 
an impression other than that intended. It is incompati- 
ble with the best taste, ordinarily, to touch the eyes, the 
nose and the ears, when these organs are mentioned, but 
in speaking of some place, or object, it is well to give it 
a local habitation, and with index finger, or up-turned 
face, or outstretched arm, to indicate to the audience the 
direction in which it lies. Daniel Webster was chary in 
the use of gestures. The only one that it has seemed fit to 
record is one that violated all the rules laid down in man- 
uals of elocution. In his great speech on the Buffalo 
platform in 1848, he said: "It is so rickety that it will 
hardly bear the fox-like tread of Mr. Van Buren." As 
he said "fox-like tread," he held out the palm of his left 
hand and ran the fingers of his right down the extended 
arm, with a soft, rapid motion, as if to represent the kit- 

95 



ten-like advance of the foxy advocate upon the rickety 
platform. A shout of laughter testified to the aptness of 
this sign-teaching. 

It is incumbent upon preachers generally, since they 
are not all Daniel Websters, to give some attention to 
elocution in all its departments. Better be as indefatig- 
able in pursuit of its adornments as was Dr. Guthrie, than 
to proudly and self-complacently ignore them, He tells 
us "that during his student life in Edinburgh he attended 
elocution classes winter after winter, walking across half 
the city and more, fair night and foul, and not getting 
back to his lodgings till half-past ten/' There he learned 
to find out and correct many acquired and more or less 
awkward defects in gesture ; to be in fact natural ; to ac- 
quire a command over his voice so as to express the feel- 
ings, whether of surprise or grief, or indignation, or pity. 
Thus these acquirements became part and parcel of him- 
self. He used them with just as little consciousness of 
deliberate purpose and intention at the moment as one 
uses his limbs in walking, or his tongue in articulation, 
and everyone who has listened to his sermons from the 
pulpit, or his speeches from the platform will attest that 
they lent a charm to his eloquence. 

Three or four things need to be kept dearly and con- 
stantly before us ; among these the message, the aim, the 
congregation, and oneself. He is the general, and if he 
loses his head he will lose the battle. Hence, let the de- 
livery be clear in its enunciation, moderate in its flow, 
mellifluous in its rhythm, and deliberate in a goodly de- 
gree in its utterance. Do not try to speak in the tongues 
of other men, nor o»f angels for that matter. Clothe the 
thoughts in clear, chaste, vigorous English. Let it scin- 
tillate, flash and sparkle betimes. Merge your personality 
into your message. Let your watchword be like Gid- 
eon's, "The sword of the Lord and his servant ." The 

sermon should be like the man. If he is naturally calm 

96 



then this quality will find its place in the message. If im- 
petuous, then look for the dashing torrents. If firm and 
rigid, then chain logic and unswerving principles will be 
conspicuous. As an old French writer has said: 'The 
style is the man." It should be in the minister of the 
Gospel and will appear unless, like Shelley's description : 

"The priests are all of one sort, 
For they were educated so to be." 

The literary style will likewise take its distinctive 
tone and coloring from the subject treated, and the object 
in view. If the subject be instruction regarding some 
Christian grace or virtue, the style will be didactic and dis- 
passionate. If it be on some one of the crying and colos- 
sal sins of the day, such as intemperance, or social im- 
purity, it must to be compatible be rousing, fiery and fre- 
quently denunciatory. One need not use a keg of gun- 
powder to execute a knat, nor pepper Gibralter with 
paper wads. But when your subject demands it use both 
gunpowder and dynamite, and pepper hell's gates with 
the biggest and heaviest shot you can find in the arsenal 
of God's Word and World. 

In writing on the "conversational style," which is 
to be commended as a whole to preachers, Dr. Carlos 
Martyn correctly defines and describes it, in a passage in 
which he holds up Wendell Phillips as its "grand past 
master." "Like everything else about his oratory, it \yas 
natural, or seemed so. In tone and manner, although 
thus conversational, Mr. Phillips was at the sarnie time 
elevated. It has been said that speaking which is merely 
conversational has no lift in it; the mind may be held by 
it, but is not impressed. On the other hand, speaking 
which has no everyday manner is stilted and fatiguing. 
The orator should frame his style on the level of plain, 
common-sense talk ; then this ought to lead out and up 
toward vistas of cloudland and the music of the spheres." 

97 



This is corroborated by Col. T. W. Higginson, who says : 
"The keynote to the oratory of Wendell Phillips lay in 
this ; that it was essentially conversational — the conversa- 
tional raised to its highest power. Perhaps no orator 
ever spoke with so little apparent effort, or began so en- 
tirely on the plane of his average hearers. It was just as 
if he simply repeated, in a little lower tone, what he had 
just been saying to some familiar friend at his elbow. The 
colloquialism was never relaxed, but it was familiarity 
without loss of dignity. Then, as the argument went on, 
the voice grew deeper, the action more animated, and the 
sentences came in a long, sonorous swell, still easy and 
graceful, but powerful as the soft stretching of a tiger's 
paw." 

How long — as to the time taken in delivering it — 
should a sermon be? This question frequently comes up 
in the present day in ministerial and other gatherings for 
discussion and settlement. Reflection and experience will 
disclose that it is somewhat difficult to affirm just what 
the exact length should be. As in some other matters 
relating to pulpit duties, much depends upon the occasion 
— the man, the theme and his audience, I am, however, 
candid enough to admit that ordinarily some preachers 
would gain in acceptability, if not popularity, if they 
would shorten their sermons. That it is impracticable, all 
things considered, to preach longer than thirty or forty 
minutes, is apparent. Some writers on this phase of our 
subject would cut these figures in two. I am of the opin- 
ion that twenty minutes is too short a time for a full- 
fledged sermon. And, not being an advocate of the ser- 
monette, so called, I prefer for myself more time and 
would accord it to others. Nevertheless, prolixity and 
tautology are as reprehensible in the pulpit as at the bar. 
Perhaps more so, because the man who occupies the first 
should have ordinarily more to say that is to the point 
than the other. Also weightier reasons for saying it. The 



"grace of continuity" is not an adornment from the hear- 
ers' an^le of vision, It may accomplish one thing for 
them if they will allow it, and that is, expand and develop 
their patience. Never see how long you can hold out. 
It will be far preferable, as soon as one discovers that his 
message has been delivered, to sit "down presently/' as 
Luther has it, than hang on to one's own weariness and 
that of the congregation. At the end of thirty minutes be 
on the lookout for good terminal facilities. Nevertheless, 
occasionally take time to fully round out the sermon, even 
though it should require an hour to do it. 

The dicta of writers on "delivery" are legion and 
they are as diverse as they are numerous. No one may 
be said to contain a complete and wholly satisfactory out- 
line, much less an all comprehensive and definite system. 
But for brevity, succinctness, compactness, completeness 
and rotundity, nothing equals the advice of the old Itin- 
erants, which, as I recall it, is : "Begin low, go slow, rise 
higher, take fire, be most possessed when self-impressed." 
Herein, at least, is what in my judgment is found a true 
philosophy of delivery. It postulates deliberation, gradu- 
ation and animation. And these are the chief character- 
istics of all good speaking. 

After the message has been proclaimed never apolo- 
gize for it. If before one's well directed blows some dar- 
ling sin or pedestalled Dagon should fall, let it remain 
prostrate and helpless. Neither be alarmed if someone 
whose conscience has been smitten cries out against us. 
All that we have to do is to speak the words which our 
Master gives us, if they shall be a savor of life unto life, 
well ; if of death unto death, we have delivered our souls. 
Should one be disposed, upon reflection, to notice that 
some portions of what he purposed saying were omitted, 
and that some matter which came to him in the pulpit 
was only falteringly stated, be not worried at this. Only 
LofC. 

99 



aim, like Sir Joshua Reynolds, the great painter, to do 
the best every time and leave the results with the Lord. 

Indeed, doing one's best and leaving the rest are 
equally good philosophy and theology. If we put into 
constant practice this adage we shall not fret about our 
reputation as preachers. Our ability will appear in the 
sin we slay and in the many souls we make alive unto 
righteousness. Perhaps much of our work will be per- 
formed in comparative obscurity, or in rural districts, and 
the tempting thought may arise that it matters little as to 
the character of the work we do, whether our best or 
otherwise. If it should, remember the answer of the 
sculptor, who had taken more than ordinary <care in chis- 
eling out the locks of hair of a statue which was to fill a 
niche in a temple of fame. When asked why he had taken 
so much pains with those locks, since the statue was to 
be placed high up in the temple, and the locks were to be 
turned towards the wall, where no< one could see them, he 
answered "The immortal gods will see them." So God 
sees our work and will reward it — whether men see it or 
see it not — if it is only our best. If we are fully assured 
that we have been conscientious and guileless, that we 
have proclaimed the whole counsel of God, so far as each 
particular message can contain it, then we are ready to 
step down from our pulpit, either to labor on at the 
Lord's comimand, or, like Elijah, to enter the waiting 
chariot, to alight therefrofm in the palace of the Ever- 
lasting King, and to hear Him say, "Welcome and Well 
Done." 



100 



"The pulpit 
Must stand acknowledged, while the world shall stand, 
The most important and effectual guard, 
Support and ornament of virtue's cause, 
There stands the messenger of truth, there stands 
The legate of the skies ; his theme divine, 
His office sacred, his credentials clear. 
By him the violated law speaks out 
Its thunder; and by him, in strains as sweet 
As angels use, the Gospel whispers peace. 
He 'stablishes the strong, restores the weak, 
Reclaims the w r anderer, binds the broken heart, 
And, armed himself in panoply complete 
Of heavenly temper, furnishes with arms 
Bright as his own, and trains by every rule 
Of holy discipline, to glorious war 
The sacremental hosts of God's elect." 
Are all such teachers? Would to heaven all were. 



101 



CHAPTER VI. 



THE PREACHER'S OFFICIAL RELATIONS. 



Of necessity these are numerous, intricate and deli- 
cate. Some are in their very nature perfunctory, others 
close and intimate. Many pertain to the secularities, 
while others have to do with the spiritualities. Upon them 
all much depends as to what manner of man a minister 
shall be, whether like the wax which receives the impress, 
or the seal which gives it. Whether he shall be content 
to drift, or putting his hand on the rudder shall steer. Usu- 
ally he enters into other men's labors and is not a pio- 
neer in the place where, in the Providence of God, he 
finds himself. Neither is he ordinarily tKe last man to 
occupy that particular field. He doubtless had a prede- 
cessor in the pulpit of the Church he serves, and with- 
out much doubt will have a successor. The mutations of 
this present life affect him as much as they do the incum- 
bent of the more secular offices. For one cause and an- 
other removals are constantly occurring. Sometimes 
God moves His w r orkmen, more frequently men move 
them. But, like the brook of which Tennyson sings, the 
Church may say of its ministers, as of its members, 
"They may come and they may go, but I go on forever." 

Nearly every minister therefore holds relations to 
the man who came before him and to the man who fol- 
lows after him. These should be close, hallowed and in- 
violable. He cannot waive nor ignore them. They exist 
and grow out of the very exigencies of the case. They 
are often most difficult of observance, sometimes because 
of the indiscretion or the animus of the other party. Or 

102 



perhaps because of some ardent admirer of the man who 
has just vacated the pulpit, or some zealous advocate of 
the man who has been called to fill it. It is well, then, to 
show a positive disinclination to listening to any account 
of a predecessor's faults or failings. We are almost sure 
to come across someone, or someone will invariably come 
across us who has some evil report to bring about the 
former pastor. If we must listen to it, in order to be re- 
spectful, no comment need be offered as a general rule. 
If one should be ventured, let it be favorable to our ab- 
sent brother-minister. It will not take long for it to be 
known that we do not desire to hear anything which is in 
any way derogatory to the former administrator or ad- 
ministration of Church affairs. Should it be necessary, 
where rumors of immoral conduct are rife, to bring mat- 
ters to a head, w T e should be brave enough to do as a 
preacher in the M. E. Church is said to have done. Soon 
after reaching his appointment he was informed by some 
of the stewards that his predecessor had received money 
on salary for which due credit had not been given to the 
Church. He simply remarked that it was possible that 
these were gifts of a personal character, and if so the 
preacher had a perfect right to receive them without re- 
porting them to the treasurer. To this answer was made 
that this was not the way in which the money had been 
obtained, but that it had been solicited by the minister 
from persons who were regular contributors to the 
Church. This injurious story was told and dwelt upon, 
ad nauseam, until it was mentioned at the first quarterly 
conference at which the Presiding Elder was present, 
when the new pastor arose and said, "Mr. President, these 
rumors have been dinging in my ears ever since I came 
here, they are on the lips of these official members, and 
now I most respectfully ask, either that a bill of charges 
be formulated against my predecessor and duly presented 
to him, that he may have an opportunity of defending 

103 



himself, or that these accusations cease/' It need not be 
said that this was the end of the rumors. Bear in mind 
that at some other Church somebody may have occasion 
to defend our administration. We should therefore keep 
the spirit and the letter of the golden rule, and "do unto 
others as we would that they should do unto us." It is 
always proper to pray for and speak well of the man who 
is retiring at our first sabbath service. He has been 
breaking up the fallow ground, sowing the seeds of the 
Kingdom, which perhaps we shall be permitted to culti- 
vate and harvest. He may not be our ideal of a minister, 
neither may we be his, but that is neither here nor there, 
he is our yoke fellow in the Gospel, and it is altogether 
likely that we shall accomplish more for God and the 
Church by taking up the work where he has left it, than 
by acting or speaking in a disparaging manner of what 
he did and the way in which he did it. 

Beware of being so vain, egotistical, and unfair, as 
to publish abroad in same Church periodical, a few weeks 
or months after taking charge of a parish or accepting a 
call, that the prayer meetings and public services are 
larger and more enthusiastic than they have ever been in 
the history of that local church. This may be so or it may 
not be so. Whether it is or not, the new incumbent is 
unqualified to say. He is a comparative stranger and has 
no data at hand sufficient to warrant him in making the 
deduction, much less in publishing it, or permitting some 
gushing admirer of his to publish it. Then again one 
must be a very shallow-minded observer of men and 
churches, if he has not discovered that a new preacher is 
almost always hailed with great eclat. And that, in the 
homely language of the old adage, like "a new broom, he 
sweeps clean." It is his inauguration and exaltation. 
Hence, congregations may enlarge for a time, finances 
flourish, the machinery move without friction, and en- 
comiums be galore; but if he will wait until the close of 

104 



the second or third year of his pastorate, he will not feel 
so much like puffing himself and snuffing his predecessor. 
For, as someone has humorously said, "there are three 
stages in most ministers' experiences. They are first 
eulogized, then they are criticized, and finally they are 
cauterized. " A fourth may be added in the history of 
some, and that stage, if it should ever come, is that they 
are "canonized. " In going about among the people he 
may meet persons who will speak a kind word about the 
man who came before him. If they should, he must not 
seem to be indifferent about these commendations. Nor 
wince or draw back as though he had been hurt by them. 
If he can stand by and hear the former pastor praised and 
rejoice, he is not far from being perfectly sanctified. Re- 
member what the Master said of His forerunner John, 
"He was a burning and shining lig-ht.^ If you cannot 
speak likewise of yours, at least be glad when others do 
and can. 

The preacher's relations to his successor are not quite 
of a piece with those mentioned above. They are, how- 
ever, both complicated and trying. He should arrange 
to give him an open field in which to exercise his gifts. 
If he knows him familiarly, he can commend him to the 
good will and prayers of the people. He can extol his 
good qualities, and this is not to say that he may not have 
some poor ones. But if so, the folks will soon discover 
them, and he need not mention them. He can plan to 
leave him without embarrassing debts, without any 
schisms or cliques, with a working Church membership, 
and a parsonage as clean as a pink. He can wish him 
God speed, and leave him to do the work of the parish in 
the way in which he and the Lord shall fix upon. His 
aim should be "Hands Off." Being out, he should stay 
out, and make no contracts to return to officiate at mar- 
riages or funerals. If he does not, he must not be sur- 
prised if he perceives that the residentiary and the most 

105 



judicious of his flock, neither receive him with open arms 
nor with open doors. He may, forsooth, be lionized by 
some, but others will snub him, and serve him right too. 
If they will only do this to the extent of teaching him to 
mind his own business, and not that of the man who has 
followed him, they will have taught him a wholesome 
lesson and have done God service. Take this bit of ad- 
vice from one who has seen what estrangement and heart 
burnings have been caused among ministers simply be- 
cause these little comities have been disregarded, and 
keep away from your old charge until your successor has 
become firmly and solidly settled. Then, if you receive 
invitations from former parishioners to return, that you 
may marry the living or bury the dead, you may grace- 
fully comply. But even then, it would be proper that they 
should come through the present pastor. If they do not, 
and you consent to accept them, associate your successor 
with you. Give him part of the service, and part of the 
fee, if there be one. Should it be discovered that he is not 
in favor with whose who send for you, this is a reason, 
not why you should go, but why you should excuse your- 
self from going. Whenever you return and whatsoever 
the occasion, if you should learn that he has succeeded, 
be thankful. O for the spirit of such self-abnegation that 
with John you might at least say, as he said of his suc- 
cessor in the Gosepl, "He must increase/' even though 
you may not wish to add the other clause, "but I must 
decrease." 

The officiary of the church should receive the 
preacher's first attention and regard. They may be 
deacons, stewards, trustees or vestry men. No matter 
what, their office postulates a relation that he holds to 
them, and this relationship determines not only their 
duties to him but his duty to them. It is with the latter 
that we have to do here. As soon as convenient he ought 
to make the acquaintance of the officials. If it will not 

106 



discommode them, he may take up his abode with them 
v/hile the parsonage is being prepared for his reception. 
Then he may call upon them severally and inform him- 
self as to the position each one holds in the church. 
Should it appear that some of them had a preference for 
some other preacher, diplomacy would lead him to pay no 
attention to the coolness or stiffness of their manner in 
receiving him. He might give these a more cordial greet- 
ing and if need be a heartier shake of the hand. Thus he 
will most effectually shake down and break down the bar- 
riers raised against him. Let them see that confidence 
is placed in them and that it is expected that each one 
will meet the responsibility accruing from his office and 
discharge it conscientiously and to the best of his ability. 
He may kindly, but firmly, indicate that the success of 
his pastorate depends upon them, as much and perhaps 
more, than on himself. It is well not to discharge any 
duties which rightfully belong to them, unless these duties 
undischarged should mean disaster to the church. Never 
infringe upon their special prerogatives and never allow 
them to infringe upon yours. You neither own them, 
neither do they own you. Therefore, do not domineer 
over them, and should they seek to do so over you, it will 
be proper for you to assert that independence which a 
man should never surrender, even when he becomes a 
minister of Jesus Christ. Keep your place, and require 
them to keep theirs. If you discover that there are one 
or more of their number who seek to centralize all power 
in themselves, or to monopolize all the offices, it will be 
within your jurisdiction to broaden the base, and equal- 
ize the power, by a larger distribution of the honors, and 
by urging all to a more personal and earnest participation 
in the business of the church. In discharging your duties 
toward them, let the relations, in general, be like those 
existing between the President and the members of his 
Cabinet, or the Commander-in-Chief and his officers. In 

107 



consonance with this last figure, the Sunday School Sup- 
erintendent, the President of the Young People's Socie- 
ties, the Trustees and other officers, are the pastor's lieu- 
tenants and subordinates. They will, if they know their 
place, consult him, and receive whatever advice he has to 
give before they make any movement of significance. 
Seldom will it be found necessary for him to do more 
than give a general oversight to the work performed by 
these godly men and women. But keep his hand on them 
he must, in order that he may be able to secure their co- 
operation in carrying on the financial, the social, and the 
spiritual work of the church. In unity is strength. Co- 
operation should be the watchword. 

Let me now proceed to dwell upon the relations ex- 
isting between the pastor of the church and the various 
organizations within its pale. These are sometimes 
numerous and unweildy. Like the wheel which Ezekiel 
saw in his vision, which had wheels within, so the modern 
Church of Christ in the earth may be said, in a restrictive 
sense, to have Churches within itself. These, for weal or 
for woe, are constantly on the increase. The principal 
ones which require more than passing mention are the 
Sunday School, the Young People's Organizations, the 
Women's Societies, Men's Guilds, Brotherhoods, Trustee 
Boards and Vestries, and in some churches the Official 
Board, composed of some of the members of the afore- 
named bodies, and a Board of Stewards. These bodies 
should always be regarded as auxiliaries of the Church 
proper. Or perhaps, more accurately, departments of the 
Church, or component and integral parts thereof. Not 
independent, but dependent branches. Without the trunk 
of the tree, which is the Church, these branches could not 
flourish, even though some of them might have a sepa- 
rate existence. For the efficiency and success of each and 
every one of them, the preacher is held responsible by 
"the powers that be." He should, therefore, regard him- 

108 



self, and be regarded by others, as the official head. He 
occupies a like relationship to these departments that a 
connmander does to the different army corps which com- 
pose his army. Hence, they must be ready to receive 
orders from headquarters, and when he gives the com- 
mand to "go forward," they should go. It is very essen- 
tial to the welfare of the whole church that these bodies 
are both subservient and subordinate. If otherwise, 
friendly forces will come into collision, and trouble will 
ensue. 

If, however, all these organizations act together in 
unison, they will be able to bring things to pass. If not 
united, they will illustrate and exemplify the saying of the 
Great Teacher, "A house divided against itself cannot 
stand/' It must fall. No Sunday School, or Young Peo- 
ple's Society, or Woman's Organization, or any other 
organization, no matter by what name known, which is 
within the pale of the local church, should be permitted 
to be autonomous, or independent, of the church in which 
it is, and of which it forms a part. The preacher's rela- 
tion to any one of these should move him to prevent any 
such abnormal condition. 

Wherever the canon law makes him a member of 
these different boards and bodies, whether ex-officio or 
otherwise, there he should take his place and do his duty, 
without left or hindrance. We are moved, as the Quakers 
say, to be more explicit on this point, because there seems 
to be a tendency in some parishes to make one or more 
of these organizations equal to, or a substitute for, the 
church proper. Many preachers find trouble arising from 
these causes. What is to be done? Shall they for tTfe 
sake of false peace let this condition of things continue, 
or shall they set them to rights. The latter by all means. 
We once heard of a church in which the Sunday School 
was drilled into the notion, by the Superintendent, that it 
was of greater importance than the Church. Nay, that 

109 



it was the Church, so far as its members were concerned. 
They must attend its sessions, support its gatherings and 
finances. If they cared only to be present at one service, 
it must be that of the Sunday School, and not public 
worship. The pastor was continually reminded, and at 
last covertly given to understand, that his absence in that 
Sunday School was more desired by the Superintendent 
and a few of his followers than his presence. What was 
he to do? Why simply his duty as set forth in the Disci- 
pline of his Church. That made him ex-officio Superin- 
tendent, required his presence in the Sunday School, and 
that he should catechise the children there. While he was 
not disposed to magnify his office under the circum- 
stances, as may well be imagined, neither was he disposed 
to surrender his rights and prove recreant to his ordina- 
tion vows. So very quietly and discreetly, yet firmly and 
in the fear of God, he informed the Superintendent, that 
if one of the two must leave the Sunday School, it must 
be the latter, for by the law of the church the pastor could 
not do so, without resigning his pastorate, and that step 
he was not just then ready to take. A similar danger 
looms up before us in some of our Epworth Leagues, 
Christian Endeavor Societies, and Young People's 
Unions; the devotional services being allowed to usurp 
the place of one or both of the church assemblies on the 
sabbath. This is the trend in quite a number of churches, 
where it is such the pastor must interpose his good offices 
and check it. 

What has 'been said thus far of one's relationship to 
the officiary and the organizations of the local church, 
discloses only the obverse side of the shield. If on this 
side is inscribed, in indelible characters the word "Com- 
mander," on the reverse side should stand out in equally 
bold letters, the word "Leader." This certainly, if the 
cue is to be taken from Isaiah, who employed both terms, 
and regarded himself as standing in both relations. 

110 



Leadership implies going before, setting an example, as 
a brave general goes before his troops, or a good shep- 
herd before his sheep. The preacher is to be an ensample 
unto the flock in charity, in faith, in purity, in spirit, in 
word, and in work. With winsome presence, and con- 
sistent example, he can say, "Come and let us do this or 
that." "We are co-workers together with God." When 
he puts his own shoulders under the burdens, and his 
own neck into the yoke, then he may reasonably expect 
that the largest debts will be lifted, and the heaviest loads 
gotten out of the ruts and out of the way. This will be 
found to be a more effectual way of meeting our official 
responsibilities, as they relate to these church boards and 
bodies, than to point with the staff of office, pull with the 
crook of authority, and command in that little word "go," 
which too often finds a response in the hearts of those to 
whom addressed in that equally little, but naughtier word 
"no." 

Instead of being leaders, some preachers are drivers. 
They arrogate to themselves a power, nowhere relegated 
to them in the New Testament Scriptures. They seek to 
"lord it over God's heritage. " After a time they are cha- 
grined to find that they have aroused an opposition which 
will brook no such attitude. They make themselves 
odious and objectionable, and fail to accomplish what, 
with a little tact and conciliatory spirit, they might have 
achieved. Indeed, by a wise leadership, frequently much 
more can be effected in church circles, than by driving 
and commanding. In this way it will likewise be possible 
to keep these relations sweet, and pleasant, and lasting. 
And as the French so fittingly express it, to keep up the 
"esprit de corps," without which neither church hosts, 
nor militant hosts, can afflict very great losses upon the 
enemy, or gain many brilliant victories in the conflict. 

At this junction the question may very properly be 
asked, "What is the relation a minister holds to that par- 
Ill 



ticular ministerial body — whether presbytery, convoca- 
tion, or conference — of which he finds himself a member 
by virtue of his position in the Church of God"? The 
answer is, one of fraternity or brotherliness. As soon as 
he has received ordination, his initiation is passed, and 
admission has been tendered him into the grandest and 
noblest brotherhood on earth. This fact cannot have too 
much emphasis placed upon it. If this were continually 
borne in mind and acted upon, some of the jealousy and 
animosity and rivalry, which sometimes may be too 
clearly discerned at these gatherings and among these 
brethren, would depart forever. At these assemblies will 
be found men of different temperaments, with their own 
peculiar views of how business should be transacted. 
Some of them will have very pronounced notions and 
convictions on matters coming before the body. Others 
will have no option whatever on any, or few, of the sub- 
jects which arise. As for yourself, 'be a master of cere- 
monies, whether it is your province to take the chair or 
the floor. Attend to the routine work. Master the de- 
tails. Give direction according to your own godly judg- 
ment and conviction to all business transacted. Obtain 
for your own edification, as well as for use, a competent 
knowledge of canon and parliamentary law. Do not be 
over punctilious in enforcing the same, unless you are 
trying to check the stampede of a body which is facing 
in a dangerous direction. Then use your points of order, 
as you would the rowels of a spur in the sides of an unruly 
steed, and accomplish by skillful management what you 
could not by force. There are men in all bodies upon 
whose knowledge of routine business the presiding officer 
can rely. In moments of hesitancy, and when any pro- 
posed action is questionable, the president will instinc- 
tively turn to these men on the floor. If they object, or 
challenge, or raise a doubt as to the propriety of a matter, 
the chair will pause before entertaining it. If they are 

112 



silent, and no query arise in the mind of the president, 
then he entertains it and it is acted upon by the body. 
Be one of these men. 

It should be a matter of conscience, neither to flitter 
away one's time nor one's influence, when in attendance 
at these assemblies. Make plans to participate in the dis- 
cussions and if prompted to say anything, on any ques- 
tion before the house, and the floor can be obtained, say 
it. We are not, however, to talk for the mere sake of 
talking, but speak intelligently and to the point. Neither 
are we to be bluffed, nor try to bluff others, nor interrupt, 
except to raise a point of order, or to explain. Neither 
be personal in our remarks. If, in the heat of a debate, 
we should forget ourselves and say that which is not 
courtly and gentlemanly, let the "amende honorable" be 
made immediately. Be brotherly in manners and affable 
to all. Never intimate, or let it be intimated in our pres- 
ence, that our ability as debaters or our rank as preachers, 
or our relative standing in the Church, places us upon a 
higher plane, and gives us greater prerogatives than 
those of our brethren. Nor let" any of these fictitious 
marks make us unapproachable. Speak kindly and en- 
couragingly to the young men, but never in a patroniz- 
ing manner. To the older men, be deferential, and if 
necessary condescending. Be charitable, forbearing and 
magnanimous. 

By an easy and natural modulation, w r e may now 
pass to the consideration of the minister's relation to 
churches and ministers of other denominations. This is 
a large subject, and what might be said with but little 
effort, could be expanded to fill a chapter, if not a volume. 
But we must compress. In a community where there 
are churches of other denominations, it is proper that we 
should recognize them, not as those of the "sects" or as 
"societies," but as churches. To speak of one's own as 
"the church," and of others as even "chapels," much less 

113 



"sects" and "societies," is unpardonable arrogance and 
bombast. They may not be as ritualistic or aristocratic 
as ours, nevertheless, if the Word of God is preached 
there, and the ordinances duly administered, they are 
churches both in the philological and theological sense. 
It is possible that, in doctrine and polity, they differ 
widely from the churches of which we are pastors. Should 
it be so, the converse is likewise true. Therefore, if we 
desire that the pastors of these churches should recognize 
the one in which we officiate as a church, we should cer- 
tainly recognize theirs as such. These statements are not 
intended to carry with them the implication that one 
church endorses the theology and government of other 
sister churches. By no means. Neither that the mem- 
bers of one should necessarily unite with the members of 
the other. Indeed, the rubrics of some churches preclude 
this. Where this is not the case the propriety and dis- 
tinctive usuages of others forbid it. 

As to Union Services, a word in passing. Ordinarily 
it is far better for each church to keep open doors, and 
attend to its own work, doing the same according to its 
own peculiar methods. Some union services are attended 
with anything but unity. They are too often the means 
of robbing St. Peter's to build up St. Paul's. My per- 
sonal belief is that it is far better for each to do its utmost 
to build up the Kingdom of God within its own fold and 
in its own way in the 'community where Providence has 
planted it. Storekeepers keep open their own stores, and 
bankers their own banks. They would not find it profit- 
able business to close up two stores out of three, or have 
a union sale. No ; their motto is "Competition is the life 
of trade." And this business maxim, with a little quali- 
fication, is as true of churches as of mercantile houses. 
In several towns in which I have been stationed I have 
witnessed all the churches externally and internally built 
up, by emulating some thrifty, energetic church in their 

114 






midst, which would not have happened if they had acted 
exclusively on the union plan. The rule should be 4k in 
the unity of the spirit," but in the separateness of opera- 
tion. Organic unity is the dream and theme of some good 
men. It is a dream notwithstanding, and does not look 
at times as though it would ever materialize. 

As all rules, however, have exceptions, so has the 
above. In national services, such as the observance of 
Memorial Day, Thanksgiving Day, and perhaps a few 
others, union of the churches is commendable. But even 
these may not always be held in an edifice that has been 
consecrated to the wordship of Almighty God. At sucn 
a time, in order to obtain unanimity of action, it may be 
found necessary to hold the services in a hall, or some 
other building, rather than in any one church edifice of 
the town. Perhaps too, in the rural districts, it may 
sometimes be feasible to hold union services. Every pas- 
tor in such a section must be his own judge. Experience, 
however, teaches us that if each church w r ould expend 
the same amount of time, energy, and effort separately, 
that it is expected each will expend unitedly, more good 
would be done and more souls be won, than by holding 
union meetings. 

One's relation as a minister to ministers of other re- 
ligious denominations should be similar to the relation 
that one church holds to another : namely, one of comity 
and good will. We are accustomed usually to speak of 
this as ministerial courtesy by way of distinguishing it 
from that courtesy which is due to all, irrespective of call- 
ing or profession. In no more manly and acceptable way 
can this courtesy be shown than in a proper recognition, 
at all times and under all circumstances, of the official 
character of these men. If we wish the people to respect 
and in a restricted sense reverence our calling, we must 
set them the example by honoring and highly esteeming 
those who occupy like positions as ourselves in sister 

115 



churches, for their work's sake, if for no other. Hence in 
speaking of our ministerial brethren, we are never to 
apply to them approbrious epithets or undignified descrip- 
tions, such as "light weights/' or "five hundred dollar 
men.'' In doing so, we are employing standards of meas- 
urement which cannot render trustworthy results. They 
are not only unfair and objectionable but often false "de 
facto," if ability enters into the computation; for many 
are the men who are serving small churches on small 
pay, who intellectually, scholastically, and oratorically are 
the superior of other men, occupying larger, richer and 
more influential fields of labor. Ill health of themselves, 
or members of their families, or other equally cogent rea- 
sons, may have led them to these parishes. Therefore, 
let us repudiate such false standards for ourselves and 
others, whenever. and by whomsoever raised. 

True courtesy will not call for an exchange of pul- 
pits where the rubrics of the denomination prevent. 
Neither will it require us to ask ministers of such de- 
nomination to participate in any of our special church 
services. It will, however, constrain us to recognize them 
as ministers and priests of other faiths, and to speak of 
them as Reverends and 'brothers in the ministry. The 
proper exercise of this grace will also furnish us an op- 
portunity of exhibiting that true Christian liberality, 
which stands opposed to the narrowness of bigotry, by 
which we can unite with them in all social and moral re- 
form work, in all municipal and national issues, that are 
in any sense ethical and patriotic. St. Augustine's motto, 
"In essentials unity, in non-essentials liberty, and in all 
things charity," needs reiteration and accentuation even 
in these days of liberalism. Likewise the saying of Wes- 
ley, "I desire a league offensive and defensive with every 
true soldier of the Cross." For, when all has been said 
and done : 



116 



"Our little systems have their day, 
They have their day and cease to be, 
They are but broken lights of thee, 
And thou, O Lord, art more than they." 
Beware of the men who, though in the shepherd's 
garb, talk much about the one "fold," and the one 
"flock." They often mean, though they may not possess 
the courage to say so, their fold and their flock. Do not 
be guilty of speaking of your own particular denomina- 
tional superiorities in the presence of ministers of other 
churches, unless you are controverting some derogatory 
statement which may have been made against your 
church; then defend your own like a man. Infractions 
of ministerial courtesy at these points are 'both common 
and flagrant. Sometimes a preacher will so far forget 
.himself in the presence of his ministerial peers as to speak 
of himself as being in the direct line of apostalic succes- 
sion, or as having received episcopal ordination, or as 
being the pastor of the richest, the largest, or the most 
popular church in town. 

For instance, at a Memorial Service — held in the 
public hall of a certain town, at which four ministers, rep- 
resenting the four congregations which united in these 
services, were present — when the time came for giving 
the notices of the different churches represented, two of 
the pastors simply announced that the usual services 
would be held in their respective churches, a third gave 
his more in detail, while the fourth arose and said : "A 
people's service will be held this evening in my church, 
and all are most cordially invited to attend." Amid other 
surroundings such a notice might not have been out of 
place, or a breach of ministerial courtesy, but at a union 
service, for any one preacher to say that his was the "Peo- 
ple's Church," and to invite the members of the other 
three denominations to leave their own services to attend 
his, was the quintessence of self-conceit and impertinence. 

117 



This is only one instance of many which could be cited. 
Better things are expected of you. Further, if a minis- 
ter, in intercourse with you, should be rude in his be- 
havior or haughty in his manner, never so far forget 
yourself as to assume a similar attitude towards him. By 
far the better way will be to give him, as the sailors say, 
"a wide berth.'' You are to be a gentleman at all times 
and under all circumstances, and the observance of a 
courteous demeanor towards your yoke-fellow in the Gos- 
pel is one of its salient marks. 

There are, at least, two other official relations which 
the preacher holds that call for remarks more or less ex- 
tended. He is first, by virtue of his call, and the nature 
of the work devolving upon him, an evangelist. It does 
not seem to me that there is any incompatibility, or in- 
congruity, in his being such. Indeed, if we may set him 
forth under the figure of a triangle, then to be complete 
he must be a minister, evangelist and pastor. The three 
are one and the one three. Notwithstanding, this should 
be so, frequently we find it otherwise. For example, there 
are many preachers who exalt the ministerial function and 
seek mostly the edification of the saints. This work is 
necessary and must be done. The saints are to go on to 
perfection. To this end part of all pulpit ministrations 
must be specifically for them. But not solely, nor wholly, 
as some ministers seem to think. These saints will pass 
away. Others must take their places. Then, again, in 
every congregation are the unconverted. How to reach 
these so as to bring them to Christ, and fill the places of 
the former in Christ's Church is one of the problems that 
confronts the man in the pulpit. 

The Scriptures he is called upon to read and preach 
were not inspired or committed into his hands that they 
might be simply profitable for doctrine. This they doubt- 
less are and should ever be. But they were also given 
"for reproof, for correction, for instruction, in righteous- 

118 



ness." If he is a man of God, thoroughly furnished unto 
all good works, he will not regard himself as unfitted 
for the work of an evangelist. He will feel that he can 
exhort sinners, and warn them, and reprove them of sin; 
and point them to the Lamb of God. This work was in- 
cluded in his call to preach, and therefore he should do 
it, and do it more efficiently than the traveling evangelist 
does. If he cannot point them to the Cross, it is doubt- 
ful if he will ever be able to help them materially in win- 
ning the crown. Therefore, make up your mind to be an 
evangelistic preacher. To conduct your own special re- 
vival services. If you feel that you have no adaptation for 
this work, ask Him who hath promised to make you fit 
for his service to qualify you. Go into the work. Learn 
how to do it by doing it, just as you learned how to preach 
to the edification of saints by preaching specifically to 
them. 

Sometimes it may be expedient to call in outside 
help when holding special Pentecostal services. If so, call 
a man who will not want too long a tail to his kite before 
he consents to fly it. One who does not make too many 
conditions and provisos. Should he come to your assist- 
ance let it be to assist, and not take your place. Do not 
throw the lines to him and sit with nothing to do or say. 
You must not be relegated to the background. You are 
still preacher in charge. Much harm has been done by 
men that meant good, who have traveled as evangelists, 
by their methods and by their arrogating to themselves 
the whole of the pastor's work, minus his responsibility. 
They have not only left few permanent results in the 
form of regenerated men and women, but they have, in 
too many cases, left the impression upon the flocks that 
their stated shepherds were only able to perform part of 
the labors of the fold, and that some other shepherds, like 
themselves, had to be sent for when an increase was de- 
sired and looked for. These midwives of the Church 

119 



never hide their Moses, but frequently announce him be- 
fore he is born. That thou mayest, then, make full proof 
of thy ministry, "do the work of an evangelist. " 

I have purposely left the largest of these relations 
to the last. It is that of pastor of the whole flock under 
our care. As such we must make pastoral calls, marry 
the living, bury the dead, and perform other rites, made 
incumbent upon us iby reason of our headship. Taking 
up these duties in the order named and beginning with 
pastoral visitation, I note that to do this and to do it 
methodically, is needful for our own as well as our par- 
ishioners' spiritual welfare. It is essential to the preacher 
that he may learn the condition of his flock and privately 
impart timely counsel to the erring, and consolation to 
those who mourn. That he may know what his people 
are thinking about. Listening to them, answering their 
inquiries, and pointing out to them how they may over- 
come the difficulties that beset them, will many times sug- 
gest passages of Scripture or lines of thought which are 
suitable for pulpit use. This is the way some ministers 
obtain their themes, and get the most practical and help- 
ful matter of their sermons. 

A few suggestions here as to how to do this work 
best will be in place. Unless our church membership is 
so large that it is a physical impossibility for us to do pas- 
toral work among our people ourselves we should never 
relegate it to others. In some parishes this may have 
to be done. Spurgeon had to do it, so did Parker. If we 
have a membership equal to the Tabernacle or the Tem- 
ple, we may also follow them and have an assistant pas- 
for to do this work for us. Ordinarily, however, our con- 
gregation will not be more than hundreds to their thou- 
sands. When this is so, we can see the people for our- 
selves and not by proxy. 

Make stated calls. Some preachers make one and 
some more rounds of calls every year on every family. 

120 




Two a year, if the town is geographically large, should be 
sufficient. Call, if convenient, when all the members of 
the family are at home. The evenings usually are better 
than the afternoons. Our calls count for much more at 
that time. If we cannot make it convenient to call when 
the men are at home we can seek them 1 out at the stores 
and the workshops, and if permissable pay them a short 
visit there. It will sometimes be found a great saver of 
time and strength, if pastoral work can be performed by 
streets, or districts. Also, if it can be made the special 
business of the days or weeks allotted to it. When this 
arrangement is not found convenient, then let a portion of 
each day be free to take up this work whenever it needs 
to be done. 

Give special attention to the poor, the men and the 
young people. The first are sometimes a little over sen- 
sitive regarding their social status. In the words of Solo- 
man, "They are often strangers to their neighbors/' Few 
persons call on them. Hence they will appreciate our 
visits. While it is equally true "that the rich have many 
friends/' we are not to slight them on this account. Some 
preachers neglect this class more than they do the other. 
Look after both. Then the men should be won for Christ 
and the church. They will not, as a whole, be over anx- 
ious to receive us. But we must call on them, and im- 
press them that we are men of like passions with them- 
selves, workers, men of business, and full of cares. And 
that we know how to sympathize with them when they 
are out of employment, and when seeking to better their 
condition. Many of them are disposed to stay away from 
church, and need to be looked up, given a cordial invita- 
tion to come, and when they respond, a hearty welcome. 

We must also look carefully after the lambs of the 
flock. The young people need our constant pastoral 
oversight. They are inexperienced, thoughtless and full 
of fun. They will sometimes annoy us by their laughing 

121 



and talking. At other times they will be willful and way- 
ward, declining to speak when it would be proper for 
them to do so. They will fight shy of us. The worldling 
has told them that we desire them to renounce the pleas- 
ures of this world, its pomp and fashion. Therefore, we 
require the wisdom of an angel of light to win them and 
make them our friends. Be sure and bear with them 
when thoughtless and giddy. Pray with them, visit them ; 
learn their names, their occupations and their aspirations* 
Plan some little outing for them. Enter into their inno- 
cent amusements. But never fail to warn them of those 
pursuits and pleasures which like vortexes in the sea of 
life suck under the richest argosies and the noblest crafts. 

The sick, like the poor, are always with us. They 
must also receive our pastoral attention. Much tact is 
requisite in calling on the sick, that your calls be neither 
too frequent nor too long. Learn at what part of the 
day the parishioner would be pleased to see you, and go 
at that hour if you -can. Do not talk much about diseases 
or death. Be cheerfully .but not frivolous, solemn but not 
gloorny. We may also find that it is necessary to make 
more numerous calls upon the official brethren and those 
who are at the head of departments of church enterprises, 
than upon the membership in general. These calls, how- 
ever, will often be of a business and not of a pastoral na- 
ture. 

Shall we pray every time we call? No. It may not 
always be convenient for those upon whom we are calling, 
neither may our mission always demand it. A few may 
ask for a word of prayer before we leave. In the ma- 
jority of cases, however, it will be our province and our 
privilege to ask if we shall offer prayer. Talk with the 
people about their health and estate. Let them open for 
you a way, if one is not open, by which you can speak 
to them about their sours eternal welfare, then if the op- 
portunity permits offer a brief earnest prayer and depart. 

122 



The pastor will be called to enter the homes of his 
people to join together in holy wedlock their sons and 
their daughters. At other times they will seek his ser- 
vices for this purpose at the parsonage, or occasionally 
in the church. Xo matter where the marriage is to take 
place, all that will be required will be to tie the knot. Not 
to make a snarl instead of a pretty bow of it, we should 
familiarize ourselves with the civil and canon law relat- 
ing to marriages. In some States the church law sets 
forth what qualifications ministers need in order to legally 
perform this ceremony, in others these requisitions are 
outlined in both the civil law of the State and the ecclesi- 
astical law of the denomination. The age of consent of 
the contracting parties also differs in different States of 
the Union. We should post ourselves on these points. 
In no instance marry them if under age (which is eighteen 
years in the State of New York) without the consent of 
their parents or guardians. 

If the ceremony is at the parsonage it is usually an 
informal affair, there being very little posing or posturing. 
Should it be at the home of the bride, or in the House of 
God, then it will be more or less public in its character. 
We may under such circumstances very properly meet 
the bride and the groom beforehand, and instruct them as 
to the positions they are to occupy, the answers to be 
given to the questions, when to join hands, and so forth. 
On this occasion the ring and the ritual are called into 
prominence, neither of which has so conspicuous a part 
when the service is private. In making out the certificate 
never date it back, no neither for love nor money. Write 
it legibly in the church record, adding the names of the 
witnesses to the date. This is important, for on this rec- 
ord may hang a pension, or an estate in after years. If it 
is desired, a notice of the ceremony may be published in 
the newspapers of the town or city. Be sure and file a full 
notification of the marriage with the Bureau of Vital Sta- 

123 



tistics. If the marriage takes place in public it is an act 
of courtesy, not only to shake hands with the newly-mar- 
ried couple first, but to wish them much joy, and then in- 
troducing them to those present, say, "Congratulations 
are now in order." Be pleasant in manner and speech 
throughout. It is, or should be, a cause of rejoicing and 
not of sighing or making long faces. 

We are to decline all invitations — though attended 
with the pledge of a liberal fee — which would require us 
to perform the marriage ceremony under conditions 
which would make it a mockery, if not a blasphemy. Invi- 
tations, for instance, which would make us a party to a 
marriage ceremony between actors or spectators, con- 
ducted as a draw in a theater ; or on the stage of a mu- 
seum, in the marriage of freaks ; or in the circus ring, in 
the marriage of clowns ; or at a menagerie, between train- 
ers of wild beasts ; or in a ball room, casino or saloon. If 
we do not, while we may please the rabble by our disre- 
gard for decorum, we shall become a laughing stock in 
the immediate community, be despicable in the eyes of 
people of good sense, bring reproach upon the church and 
earn for ourselves the unenviable notoriety of being either 
poltroons or knaves. To participate in any such service, 
amid any such low and vulgar surroundings, should be 
regarded by those in authority as furnishing sufficient 
ground of indiscretion, lack of good taste and disrespect 
for one's calling, to warrant severe censure, and if brazen- 
ly persisted in, for removal from office without delay. 
Don't drabble your cassock in the dust nor the outermost 
fringe of the seamless robe in the mire. 

Furthermore, before consenting to marry strangers 
be sure to find where and under what circumstances the 
ceremony is to be performed. Then it can be declined 
if there is any impropriety as to time or place. It will 
also help to an intelligent understanding of each case, 
prevent embarrassment and confusion, guide in the mat- 

124 



ter of outlay, clerical work, kind of marriage certificate 
and other details, if, in addition to "the inquiries prepared 
bv the Bureau of Vital Statistics, and the ritual formula, 
the following questions should be asked : (1) Do you 
wish to be married with a ring? (2) Do you desire a long 
or short ceremony? (3) What fee are you prepared to 
pay? (4) What kind of certificate would you like? (5) 
Do you want a notice of this marriage published in the 
newspaper? 

Moreover, in the further discharge of pastoral duties, 
we shall be called to the homes of parishioners and others 
to perform the solemn rites iattending the burial of the 
dead. Here our decorum should be more grave and the 
tone of the voice naturally more subdued. Different min- 
isters have different rules regarding what they should do 
when death enters the homes of their people. Some think 
it advisable when they hear that one of their members has 
passed away to go immediately to the bereaved family to 
condole with it. Others wait until they are directly noti- 
fied and invited to call. Circumstances, as a rule, must 
suggest what are the proper steps to take in each case. 
I can conceive instances in which to go would be just the 
thing to do, and others in which to go would be just the 
thing not to do. When Lazarus died Jesus delayed his 
visit for a while that the grief of Mary and Martha might 
be uninterrupted. So many times it is best, unless one 
can be of some help to the bereaved, either in furnishing 
money or clothing, or in making arrangements for the 
funeral, to await until the poignancy of the grief has abat- 
ed and nature and grace have quieted their nerves and 
calmed their troubled souls. A little sanctified common 
sense touched by the sympathy of the divine Master will 
be all that is needed to guide us as to what is best to do 
at such times. 

As to funeral services, whether held at the home of 
the deceased or in the church auditorium, make them 

125 



short, appropriate and scriptural. Vary the theme to the 
age, moral condition and family relations of the subject 
that calls it forth. It will be advantageous to oneself and 
the cause of the Master not to be over personal or eulo- 
gistic. Unless it be the funeral of a person who is well 
known for his piety and consistent Christian life, it is 
better to dwell little on his virtues. Comfort those who 
mourn. Bind up the broken-hearted. Speak a word to 
the living, and in a number of cases leave the dead with 
th i Judge of all the earth. He will do that which is right. 
What may be said will in nowise effect the destiny of the 
departed either for weal or for woe. While the sermon 
should not extol too highly the good qualities of the de- 
parted good, neither should much be said of the demerits 
of the bad. We can afford to leave much unsaid at such 
times. Avoid especially speaking of the personal char- 
acter of strangers when called upon to render for them 
the rites of Christian burial. It has been my duty to offi- 
ciate at the funerals of several suicides, and also of a man 
who died while in the act of breaking the fourth com- 
mandment. In the last instance, the widow of the man 
first warned me against preaching her husband to hell, 
and then, when I informed her that this was not within 
my power, w r anted me to preach him to heaven. Much 
to her dissatisfaction I again informed her that I was 
powerless to do this either, and that she must permit me 
to conduct the services as I thought befitting, or call in 
someone else to officiate. She finally subsided and I 
preached a short sermon to the living, leaving the dead 
with his Maker. If requested to preach a funeral sermon 
or assist in the funeral services of any deceased member 
of any secret or other order, compliance with the request 
is usually proper. If there are to be two services, one of 
the church and one of the order, conduct the church ser- 
vice first and let the other follow. If our engagements 
are such that we can tarry to the after service and there 

126 



is nothing in the rites of the order to preclude us, we 
may stay and with respectful mien give attention thereto. 

Shall you receive a fee? Yes, if one is offered you. 
When one is not proffered, and you have been put to any 
expense, if not too poor, the friends of the deceased 
should at least meet it. We may attend the funerals of 
our own parishioners without expecting or exacting a 
fee. When, however, we are called upon to officiate for 
those outside our church and congregation and they are 
abundantly able to remunerate us for time and labor they 
should do so. At these services promptness is a virtue. 
Do not keep the undertaker and the mourners waiting. 
If the burial is to be several miles distant and for any 
reason known to yourself, you do not desire to go to the 
cemetery it is decorous for you to read the committal 
service at the house, or arrange for a brother minister who 
resides near the cemetery to meet the procession and read 
the committal in your stead. Should such an arrange- 
ment as this not be feasible, and the undertaker is a Chris- 
tian man, hand the ritual to him and request him to per- 
form this brief part of the ceremony for you. 

That certain reforms are demanded in funerals has 
long been apparent. How to effect this is not so clear. 
This may be said, and should not only be said, but be 
put in force, namely : That at the funerals of unbelievers 
the hymns, the ritual and the sermon should be entirely 
different from those which are employed at the funerals 
of Christians. If it were not so solemn it would be ludi- 
crous to have such a hymn as "Asleep in Jesus''' sung, or 
such a benediction as "Blessed are the dead" read over 
the bodies of those who, to use the expressive language of 
Christ, "died in their sins." It is sacrilegious and tends to 
remove the impressive distinction which should exist be- 
tween those who have done righteousness and those who 
have done it not. Another improvement that it would be 
well to make is that these last services of the blessed dead 

127 



should be bright and hopeful. Why not instead of cast- 
ing the clod upon the coffin lid either cast in a sprig of 
evergreen or a fragile flower? Either of which would be 
beautifully suggestive. One, the emblem of fadeless 
memory, and the other of man's frailty. The practice 
coming into vogue in some of our cities of holding the 
religious services on the evening preceding the burial is 
also an improvement over the old custom. 

Until these and other desirable reforms are effected 
it is for us to be as passive and patient as we may under 
the present regime. Country funerals are, indeed, most 
exacting and many times exasperating, because of the 
time they consume. In some instances they take a half 
or three-quarters of a day, besides the exposure to rain 
and heat and cold, and the demand that they proceed at 
funeral pace, whether the distance be one or twenty miles. 
The living have their rights, and when they are infringed 
upon by foolish customs and unreasonable demands, they 
should not be yielded to. But if we are kind and cour- 
teous and Christ-like the Lord will deliver us at these 
trying times. 

In closing this chapter let me briefly reiterate some 
of the observations it contains. It has been seen that the 
pastoral relation brings the preacher into closer touch 
with the people as a whole than any other he holds. It 
should, therefore, receive his constant attention, for it is 
a truism that "a house-going pastor makes a church- 
going people." A good pastor has been regarded by 
some writers on Homiletics as rarer than a good preacher. 
If this is so, it is to the credit of the preacher as such, and 
to the discredit of the pastor as such. You will soon 
come to understand, however, that some people in your 
parish do not care particularly for you to call on them 
that yooi may impart spiritual instruction or consolation, 
but because they hear you have called on their neighbor 
on the next street or the next. If you pass them by they 

128 



will construe it into a personal slight or perhaps conclude 
that you do not think as highly of them as of others. 
Then, again, some people's vanity is tickled by having the 
minister call often and stay long. Now while we should 
call on all of our parishioners, and as far as it is con- 
sistent with Christian comity, from house to house, yet it 
is pertinent to avoid gratifying those who desire our visits 
for trivial or sinister motives. Shorter and fewer calls if 
strictly pastoral are more to the edification of the flock 
and to the economizing of time, which should always be 
a consideration with us, than are longer and more fre- 
quent visits which are largely social or gossipy in their 
make-up. 

You will also discover that some people when they 
cannot find any other ground of complaint against their 
pastor will say: "He does not call often enough to suit 
us." This may be strictly true. For who shall say how 
many calls would suit them? But the criticism is some- 
times in the pastor's favor, and not against him. Rightly 
interpreted, it may mean that the parishioners are over 
exacting in their demands upon him, or that he is a stu- 
dent and is toiling away in his workshop. If either be 
true, he is exonerated from all blame and is deserving of 
praise and not censure. There are people who will wish 
you to go to their homes and spend the day with them. 
Well, if you comply with this request very often you will 
never make much headway in your studies. You will 
only be a man of mediocre ability — if that — and nothing 
more. 

Then, again, you will meet many ministers and 
speakers who, like the writers on Homiletics aforesaid, 
essaying to give instruction on "pastoral relations/' will 
often extol the pastor at the expense of the preacher. 
They get to ringing the changes on the need of the times, 
which say they "is not better preachers but better pas- 
tors." Or they will take up the cry of some disaffected 

129 



deacon, or steward, or vestryman, and vociferate, "give us 
a pastor. " Now far be it from me to discount the pastor. 
I cannot help but feel, however, when I hear these breth- 
ren thus energetically make this demand, somewhat as 
the old Yorkshire woman felt when she said to her min- 
ister: "I often feel afflicted that ye do not ca' oftener, but 
mon, when ye get into the pulpit, I ala's forgives ye." I 
would not magnify the pastor and minimize the preacher, 
but would say that one may be forgiven if he does not call 
much, but there is no forgiveness for him, if when he 
stands in the pulpit as the King's ambassador he fails to 
represent Him and to deliver His message as it 'becometh 
a legate of high heaven. Therefore, magnify your office 
as pastor, if you will, but never at the expense of your 
pulpit ministration. 

What we should be in the twofold performance of our 
pastoral and ministerial functions is nowhere so accurate- 
ly portrayed as in these lines of Chaucer : 



130 



"A good man there was of religioun, 
That was a poure Parson of a town ; 
But rich he was of holy thought and werk, 
He also was a lerned man, and a clerk, 
That Christe's gospel trewely wolde preche. 
His parishens devoutly wolde he teche. 
Benigne was he, and wonder diligent, 
And in adversitie full patient . . 
Wide was his parish and houses fer asonder, 
But he left nought for no rain ne thunder, 
In sicknesse and in mischief to visite 
The ferrest in his parish, high and low, 
Upon his fete, and in his hand a staf. 
This noble ensample to his shepe he yah, 
That first he wrought and afterwards he taught. 
He dwelt at home and kepte well his fold, 
So that the wolf ne made it not miscarrie, 
He was a shepherd and no mercenarie. . . 
A better preest I trowe that nowher non is, 
He waited after no pompe ne reverance, 
He maked him no spiced conscience, 
But Christes lore, and his apostles twelve, 
He taught, but first he folowed it himselve." 

Let us be like this "person" of ye olden time and the 
Lord will give us many seals to our ministry and many 
souls for our hire. 



131 



CHAPTER VII. 



CIVIC DUTIES AND THEIR PERFORMANCES. 



Among the manifold public duties imposed upon the 
minister are those accruing from citizenship. These should 
never be ignored or waived. The danger too often is that 
they will be submerged under the greater and more oner- 
ous duties of his pastorate, or that he may be forgetful, or 
neglectful, of the fundamental fact that the immunities, 
rights and privileges, common to all citizens are inalien- 
able to him. If he be eager to meet these civic obliga- 
tions and disposed fearlessly to discharge them some offi- 
cious person is sure to rise up and seek to restrain him. 
This under the fallacious excuse that he is a minister of 
the gospel and consequently these lesser relationships are 
unworthy of his time and attention. He should counte- 
nance no such implied abridgement of his rights as a 
citizen. The fourteenth amendment of the Constitution 
of the United States prohibits it. This is an aegis for his 
protection when he needs it. And this, especially if an 
adopted citizen, or if by reason of a former condition of 
slavery then existing, he still be looked upon by some as 
a chattel and not as a man. 

St. Paul, the apostle to the Gentiles, magnified his 
citizenship. At the time when Rome was the proud mis- 
tress of the world he was a denizen of that magnificent 
empire. In his various writings he adverts to it, explains 
how he came by it, glories in it. He made it the bulwark 
of his defence in times of danger. He asserted his rights 
as such on all occasions by the utterance of those talis- 
manic words, "Civis Romanus sum" If these failed to 

132 



afford him the protection lie sought, then — as his prero- 
gative as a Roman gave him the right — he appealed to 
Caesar. Thus carrying out to its extreme limits the priv- 
ileges it afforded. His example is worthy of emulation. 
In his preaching also he enlarged upon the duties this 
relation carried with it, and urged the Phillipian Chris- 
tians to "play the citizen worthy of the Gospel of Christ. " 
A lofty sentiment, but surely one worthy of being re- 
peated in our day and country. It is the supreme demand 
of the hour. That this demand may be promptly met, the 
minister should enhance the supply both by precept and 
example. It is doubtless true that he is seeking a bet- 
ter country, even a heavenly. But this quest should not 
preclude his active participation in the affairs of the pres- 
ent one, though earthly. In a republic like ours, which 
magnifies the burgher and not the ruler, which exalts the 
individual and not the state, which invests vast and far- 
reaching prerogatives in its exercise of franchise, he can- 
not in justice to himself waive these rights or ignore these 
obligations which citizenship imposes upon him. 

It will, however, be seen at a glance that to discharge 
these intelligently, and with the most beneficient results 
to the commonwealth, a general knowledge of the insti- 
tutions which are national in character and scope is in- 
dispensable. The Church, the State, the Public School 
System, the American Sabbath, Freedom of the Press, 
and of the individual, are among the most important of 
these. With an imperfect knowledge of what these are 
and what they stand for, preachers can neither exemplify 
that good citizenship which loyally supports them, nor in 
times when they are assailed and in danger successfully 
defend them. "In a republic guaranteeing freedom of 
conscience, and of the press, sustaining public schools, 
making laws regulating churches in various aspects and 
dealing with such moral questions as war, the social evil, 
gambling, intemperance, the saloon and human freedom 

133 



in its various forms, that a pastor should be so withdrawn 
as to have no sentiments, or having them, not express 
them by the highest act of a free man, the depositing of 
a free ballot, could not ingratiate him with the people as 
a teacher of spiritual religion. If he were a monk, emerg- 
ing at intervals, and retiring to his oratory, there would 
be a consistency, as he would know nothing about the 
country, he would be wise, in the absence of a special 
revelation, to say and to do nothing political unless his 
monastery or his church should be attacked." 

It should not be so with the minister who is in touch 
with the people and the times. His citizenship will be 
worthless unless he discharges its obligations fully. Un- 
less he speaks out on all occasions when the Magna Char- 
ter of Liberty is assailed, or the palladium of national 
institutions is threatened. Opportunity is constantly 
being furnished him for the largest exercise of these civic 
duties. Continentalism, sectionalism, political bossism, 
saloonism and anarchism, have already, like Samson of 
old, laid their hands upon the very pillars on which our 
institutions have been reared and upon which they stand. 
Their downfall is imminent and sure, unless he awake 
to the stupendous responsibility which rests upon him 
and others in conserving and preserving them in all their 
national insulation and power. 

It is obvious to me that the reason why preachers 
are not more influential as citizens is either because they 
do not regard their civic relations as being of the highest 
importance, or else they feel that what they can do is so 
small and insignificant that they content themselves with 
doing nothing. If I am correct in my conclusion they are 
in error. As already affirmed, the relation of citizenship 
is an exalted one. As to preachers effecting little in this 
sphere is doubtless due to their attempting the great 
things and omitting the less. For example, in meeting 
these various duties how few fully realize that its best 

134 



exemplification is in fostering and exhibiting a "commun- 
ity spirit." In identifying themselves with the interests 
of the hamlet, town or city, in which they are pastors. In 
entering heartily into any movement for its betterment — 
industrially, educationally, socially or politically. In com- 
mending and seconding efforts at any and all improve- 
ments. In the establishment of night schools, relief bu- 
reaus and reading rooms. In becoming part and parcel 
of the community life which surrounds them. In taking 
a hand in the selection of town officials or city magnates. 
In speaking out boldly against corruption, fraud and vice. 
Not that they should be Comstocks or Parkhursts; but 
that they should become active factors in the public affairs 
of their own township or municipality. There are preach- 
ers who come out of their shell as do some fish, periodi- 
cally. Just before a State or national election you will 
see them and possibly hear them as they act out their part 
at the polls. No wonder under the circumstances that 
they fail to make themselves felt in their community. 
They are not corporate with it and therefore do not count 
for much as men of affairs. 

Before passing on to enumerate the larger duties of 
good citizenship as seen in the exercise of the political 
franchise and pulpit political utterances, I desire to note 
a few exemptions from civic obligations from which min- 
isters are released on account of their distinctive calling. 
They are partially exempt in their own right from taxa- 
tion on personal or real estate. All other citizens are 
taxed to the full if possessed of property. The moral in- 
fluence and community interest of the first class should 
offset the monetary value of the latter class always and 
everywhere. They are likewise exempt from the drudg- 
ery of jury duty, and further from military draft in most 
of the States of the Union in time of war. All these ex- 
emptions come to them, not by their own seeking, but 
because they are ministers of the gospel. Being thus vol- 

135 



untarily released from these they should the more ener- 
getically and wisely perform those which come to all citi- 
zens, yet seem to be doubly incumbent upon them be- 
cause of the position they hold and the influence for good 
they can wield. 

Shall preachers have anything to do with politics? 
Certainly, how otherwise can they discharge their obli- 
gations as citizens? Or how otherwise can they be that 
which good citizenship implies — patriots? Here again 
some good men, as well as bad men, will be found who 
will disparage preachers so far as they can from having 
anything to do with politics. Indeed, some religious de- 
nominations as a whole discount them. But let us keep 
constantly in mind our former contention that the citizen 
is not swallowed up in the parson, nor citizenship in the 
pastorate, and conform our dicta and conduct accord- 
ingly. Therefore, as a citizen, the minister has a right to 
be a member of any political party which he may select. 
He is free to espouse any political principles or platform 
which may be formulated. Furthermore, he may advo- 
cate the election of any candidate who may be running 
for office, great or small. If he chooses he may call him- 
self by the party name and utter the party shibboleth. But 
while all this may be lawful, it will not always be expedi- 
ent. Because it is not advisable that he should be known 
so much as a party politician as a citizen, a patriot, a 
statesman and a supporter of the best government poli- 
cies. He should have something to say about the men 
who are selected for public office. But someone says : 
"This is well nigh impracticable in view of the shrewd- 
ness of the politicians who make out their slates before 
an opportunity is given the people to make their selec- 
tion." This is conceded. Nevertheless, it happens some- 
times that the best laid plans of these men "gang aft 
agley." When they do then the politicians disagree. This 
is the time for the preacher to use his influence for the 

136 



election of the cleanest men in the field, or with the help 
of others put them in the field. The bane of American 
politics lies in the fact that too often the citizens of the 
highest repute stay away from the primary and the cau- 
cus. Here is the fountain head. It is here that direction is 
needed. The preacher should then be there to give it, if 
he can be with propriety and without loss of dignity or 
personal independence. The reason for this last remark 
will be obvious later on. 

If it is not always compatible for him to be present at 
the primary he should at least be prepared in a manly way 
to exercise the elective franchise. There will come times 
when he will feel that he may reasonably be excused from 
so doing. Times when there will be a multiplicity of un- 
desirable candidates, unsatisfactory platforms and per- 
plexing issues. Perhaps not one of these, as a whole, will 
be to his liking. What shall he do? To vote may not 
exactly please him, not to vote would be the easiest way 
out of the dilemma. This is what some good Christian 
men do. They are the stay-aways who frequently permit 
the worst elements in society to prevail. It would seem 
better to vote for the best in the batch, and thus put one's 
approval on them, rather than not to vote at all. But in 
following this advice do not confine yourself necessarily 
to party candidates or principles. Rather take the cream 
and leave the skimmed milk to those who prefer it be- 
cause served up by party caterers. To be an independent 
voter will frequently result in occupying a far more su- 
perior position than that of a party man. One will then 
be at liberty to consistently repudiate the wrong and help 
forward the right in whatever party found. He will rise 
above partizanship, disregard the beck of party managers 
and be himself a leader and an example here as elsewhere. 

Thus far the minister may have done no more to 
further the interests of any political candidate, party or 
platform, than any other good and loyal citizen has done 

137 



or should do. Neither has he superceded his prerogatives 
as a citizen. Now arises the question : "Shall he preach 
politics in the pulpit ?" Our answer is that he may and 
should occasionally preach what is in its philological 
sense a political sermon. But such a sermon, in its com- 
mon and conventional meaning, seldom if ever. It is pos- 
sible that once in a year, or a quadrennium, a politico- 
moral issue may come to the front which is of such mag- 
nitude as to call for specific comments from the pulpit. 
Even then its utterances must not be of a partisan charac- 
ter. Dr. Broadus says : "Political preaching has long 
been a subject of vehement discussion in America and 
presents questions of great importance. Government here 
does not interfere with religious sects to support some 
and to prosecute others, and we have in this respect no 
occasion to discuss governmental affairs. Still, political 
measures often involve, and are sometimes almost identi- 
cal with great questions of right and wrong. The notion 
that political decisions are to be regularly made on 
grounds of mere expediency is dishonoring to the religion 
which many of us profess, and would ultimately ruin any 
nation. That truly pious men shall carry their religion 
into politics, shall keep religious principles uppermost in 
all political questions which have a moral character, is an 
unquestionable and solemn duty. Of course it is right 
that the preacher should urge them to do so, and should 
urge it with special earnestness in times of great political 
excitement, when good men are often carried away." 

Nevertheless, even at such times, one must not be a 
political partisan, neither must his pulpit discourse be 
such as that it can be construed into an harangue for 
some particular party. This should be obvious on the 
ground that if one preacher has a right to present the 
claims of his political party another, of a different stripe 
and name, has an equal right to present his. The line 
must be drawn somewhere, and it should be one which 

138 



excludes all. As to preaching politics in the sense of ad- 
vocating the gist principle espoused 'by a party, is ordi- 
narily proper, if the gist principle and not the party is 
kept to the fore, and if the modus operandi is left mostly 
to others. This the most judicious preachers did in the 
settlement of the slavery question. They urged the liber- 
ation of the blacks on the grounds of humanity, equality 
and the golden rule. That is what the preachers should 
do in the settlement of the liquor question ; that is, so far 
as their preaching is concerned. They should advocate 
the abolition of this infernal traffic by showing that it is 
the breeder of crime, a corrupter of morals, a foe to the 
home, inimicable to the church, and a blot on the fair 
escutcheon of the State ; that it deserves no quarters, and 
that all men who seek its abridgement or its extermina- 
tion deserve not only the moral but the electoral support 
of all who love their fellowmen, their country and their 
God. Preachers may and should go further in that they 
ought to preach against the evils of the license system, 
and advocate "No License' 5 movements, Anti-Saloon 
Leagues, Temperance Guilds, or anything else which will 
lessen or destroy this monster evil in our land. 

Some presidential campaigns play havoc with the 
preachers. The wily politicians seek to inveigle them and 
make them special pleaders in their pulpits, according to 
their predilections and sectional environment, in favor of 
some phase of the currency, revenue or tariff question. 
Many of them are entrapped and betrayed into giving ut- 
terance to the most unseemly partisan statements in the 
place from which should be disseminated the doctrines of 
the Holy Scriptures. Those who yield to the pressure of 
influence from without are regarded, by church-goers in 
general, as desecrating their pulpits and prostituting their 
God-given opportunities to the cause of filthy lucre and 
the buying and selling (not of doves) but of paltry ware. 

Do not understand me, however, as meaning that 

139 



there are no moral issues in a presidential campaign when 
the rallying cry is "silver and gold," or "territorial expan- 
sion, " and others of a like nature. There are and these 
are frequently great and vital issues to the masses. The 
way for ministers to get at them, however, is not by men- 
tioning them under the conventional appellation of "silver 
and gold/' "expansion'' and "imperialism," but to dis- 
cover whether any such radical changes as are proposed 
will work an injustice to any man or nation. If so, the 
principle of right should be maintained and espoused by 
divines. I would not say in their pulpits, for it would 
seem to some Christian people to be out of place there. 
It would be better to take up all the politico-moral ques- 
tions in the lecture room or lyceum hall. As to whether 
ministers should make lecture tours in behalf of any poli- 
tical party — I think not. Let the preachers take to the 
pulpit and the politicians to the stump. The work of one 
is to save men, of the other to preserve the State. The 
latter the preachers can most effectually assist the poli- 
ticians in doing by saving the individuals, who in the end 
make the State. 

Never so far forget yourself as to take a vote by any 
method in any of your distinctively church meetings on 
municipal or national affairs. It is grossly inconsistent 
with the ministerial function, and glaringly out of place, 
for a pastor at a public Sabbath service in the church of 
God to ask all present who favor the election of a speci- 
fied person to a political office, or the policy of a mayor 
against an alderman, a fire, water, school, police board, 
or vice versa, to stand and be counted. If you may not 
do this yourself under these circumstances without vio- 
lating the proprieties, neither should you permit it to be 
done by another. It has sometimes been proposed by 
leaders of Young People's meetings, and chairmen of 
Men's Church Guilds to do so. When for example, the 
"gold and silver" standards, tariff and free trade, distinc- 

140 



tively prohibitory and high license measures, colonial ex- 
pansion have been the issues, an open expression has 
sometimes been called for in church meetings on these 
questions. When this has been done it has usually re- 
sulted in the sowing of discord, and in some instances the 
rupture of the church. Where these baneful effects have 
not immediately followed, much damage has been done 
by secularizing the House of God, in turning it for the 
time into a polling booth and by making it the object of 
well-merited censure from all sides and by members of all 
political parties. 

When we come as men of God to enter the realms 
of sociology and moral reforms, we shall find ourselves 
more at home, our duties more in harmony with our call- 
ing, and withal more congenial. Preachers hesitate at 
times to take an advanced position in political affairs. 
First, because they desire to respect the political affilia- 
tion of the members of their churches, and secondly, be- 
cause they do not w r ish to be regarded as dabbling in poli- 
tics. Such words have a very unsavory and ominous 
sound to themselves and others. It is vastly different 
when they enter the arena as champions of sobriety, per- 
sonal purity, Sabbath observance, or as advocates of in- 
ebriate asylums, Magdaline homes and charity hospitals. 
They feel now that they are on firmer ground and on their 
own ground for that matter, and can in their own right 
advance to the front. Here they are leaders and are so 
recognized. It therefore follows that in all reforms for 
the betterment of the individual, community, or State, the 
preacher should at least lend a helping hand. The allega- 
tion has been made by some reformers of the radical type 
that some of the reforms so much in demand are delayed 
by the apathy or opposition of the clergy. Its utterance 
is its own refutation. History unmistakably demonstrates 
that they have brought about more humane customs, 
more amelioratory measures, and the establishment of 

141 



more institutions for the housing of the poor, the naked 
and the sick, than any other body of men. What I need 
to lay stress upon is, that if, as minisers of the Gospel we 
desire to be leaders of the people, we must put our hand 
to every good work. If pertinent and desirable take the 
initiative, if otherwise give our co-operation. 

This may be the place for me to say that it is seldom 
wise for preachers to go the whole length of certain pro- 
posed reforms with some of their most rabid advocates. 
If they do they will not be trusted by the people. These 
men usually only see the evil to be eradicated, or the boon 
sought. Forgetful of all else, they frequently strike right 
and left, and in doing so work injustice to many in order 
to obtain their end. They unchurch brethren of their 
own household of faith, and unfrock the clergy of their 
own and other religious denominations. This simply be- 
cause these persons decline to conform to their peculiar 
methods or shout their battle cry. 

By reason of his official position the man of God will 
find himself where he may become like his Master, a 
peacemaker. Differences arise between employers and 
employes. Strikes follow. In his church are the rich and 
the poor. Capital and labor are perhaps both largely rep- 
resented there. To remain silent under such circum- 
stances is the highest prudence. At other times to speak 
out with no uncertain sound is his imperative duty. What 
shall he say and what shall he do? This is not always 
clear. It is always safe, however, to seek to be a medi- 
ator. To stand up valiantly for the oppressed of his peo- 
ple, as did Moses. To advise moderation and toleration. 
But, mark you, he must know no masses, no classes, no 
high, no low, no rich, or poor, as such among his people. 
As the Lord is the maker of them all, so he must be a 
conciliator and a pastor to all. He must not alienate 
from himself or the church either party. It would be well 
for the clergy of the Protestant churches to seek to exer- 

142 



rise in labor strikes equal powers of melioration and arbi- 
tration as those we see wielded by prelates of the Catholic 
church. It may be that this cannot come to pass in view 
of the different degrees of authority exercised by the 
clergy therein. If not, let us do what we can to further 
prosperity and harmony among all classes. That there is 
constant need that this should be done is patent from the 
continued discontent among the toilers and the combina- 
tions among the capitalists. The country is kept in a 
state of constant alarm on account of the strikes of coal 
miners, motor men, and others. Hence, ministers should 
be as wise as serpents and as harmless as doves, in their 
dealings with all factions. Wave, then, the olive branch 
of peace, and not the red flag of discord from your posi- 
tions of influence and power. 

When war arises the preacher finds himself suddenly 
confronted with new and strange duties. By calling he is 
a man of peace; by birth a citizen; by love a patriot. 
These three relations call for the performance of duties 
that are somewhat conflicting. Shall he pray publicly for 
success to attend the arms of one host in the combat? 
Shall he speak on the conflict? Shall he exhort men to 
leave the plough, the forge, the marts of trade, and pro- 
fessional pursuits, and march to war? Shall he shoulder 
a musket and go himself? These queries will arise in his 
mind, and be forced upon his attention by the pressure of 
the hour. It may seem a little grotesque, but yet it is true, 
notwithstanding, that some of the most religious men 
have been warriors and some of the most renowned of 
these have been fighting parsons. In the War of the 
Revolution, and the Rebellion, some of the most impor- 
tunate praying, the most recruiting preaching, and the 
hardest fighting were done by preachers. And during 
our sharp, brief struggle with Spain — which so happily 
terminated for us as a nation, and the oppressed people 
in whose behalf we entered it — the ministers of all the 

143 



churches were among the most outspoken against Span- 
ish tyranny and cruelty, among the foremost to respond to 
their country's call, helping to create that sentiment 
which preferred a recourse to arms in behalf of the lowly 
and the helpless, rather than a state of masterly inactivity 
and criminal indifference. They promptly and loyally 
and patriotically supported the President in the discharge 
of the many arduous duties which the war imposed upon 
him. They were not slow in recognizing the propriety 
and equity of holding for commerce, education and evan- 
gelization those gems of the sea, which, by the fortunes 
of war and the decree of the God of battles, had come into 
our possession and which sued for our protection. The 
policy of relegating these people back again to ignorance, 
barbarism, and superstition of the dark ages, instead of 
giving them the light and liberty, the civilization and 
Christianization of the closing decade of the glorious 
nineteenth century, found few advocates among them. 
Hence, they were desirous, nay, urgent, that the flag 
which floats over this -land of the free should likewise 
float over those islands of the sea, and that the inhabitants 
thereof should come out from the rule of an effete and 
dying dynasty, and come under the more mild, humane, 
and beneficient sway of a civilized and Christian govern- 
ment. 

Should a similar crisis arise, or a foreign force in- 
vade our shores, there would be no hesitancy on their 
part to do what duty demanded. Nevertheless, it is their 
special and their benign province to foster "peace on 
earth, good will to men," and to pray for the time to 
speedily come "when men shall beat their swords into 
plough shares, and their spears into pruning hooks, when 
nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall 
they learn war any more." Then war drums shall throb 
no longer, and battle flags be furled, 
"In the Parliament of man, the federation of the world." 

144 






CHAPTER VIII. 



HEALTH, EXERCISE AND RECREATION. 



A "father in the church" in his cogitations once said : 
"Courage, my soul, and let us defy the weakness of the 
body." Too many of his successors in the sacred office 
have been possessed of a similar thought, even though 
they may never have given it utterance. To think it is 
bad enough, to conform to it is worse. The body is not 
to be defied. It has its rights and frequently asserts them 
much to our discomfort. The will in its majesty and the 
soul in its grandeur may seek to dominate it, and may do 
so for a time. Alas, it is only for a time ! Their triumph 
soon comes to an end ; for man is largely made of matter, 
and this calls for constant care and attention. 

Good health is the elixir of life. It is the harbinger 
of success in almost every vocation. The majority of 
men who have accomplished the most for themselves and 
the world have had a modicum of it. Not that they have 
always been brimful of animal vivacity and vitality. Nor 
have they been uniformly among the giants physically, 
nor the athletes muscularly. Only perhaps that their gen- 
eral health has been firm. While they have sought after 
knowledge, wealth, and position, they have not forgotten 
that much depended as to the attainment of these on their 
physical energy, their staying bodily properties, and their 
powers of application. Consequently they have sought to 
conserve their strength at every point. 

"It must be admitted that, in order to secure the full 
working power of the mind, and to maintain it in its 
healthy action, the bodily organs must receive their due 

145 



share of attention. Man must live in accordance with na- 
ture and conformably with the laws under which his body 
has been designed and framed, otherwise he will suffer 
the inevitable penalty of pain and disease. For the law of 
the body is no more to be at defiance than the law of 
gravitation. It is not necessary that one should ! be con- 
stantly thinking of how this or that function is being per- 
formed. Self-consciousness of this sort amounts to a dis- 
ease. But, in order to live according to nature, some rea- 
sonable knowledge of the laws of life seems to be neces- 
sary in every complete system of education, for our daily 
happiness as well as our mental vigor entirely depend 
upon the healthy condition of the bodily frame, which the 
soul inhabits and through which the mind works and 
creates/' 

To none is the blessing of good health of more im- 
portance than to ministers of the gospel. The ancients 
were right in seeking a sound body as a dwelling place for 
a sound mind. In our preparatory training, and in our 
post school discipline, we should aim at nothing short of 
its attainment. Some of us start in the race handicapped 
in this matter, we have then the greater incentive to fos- 
ter health and husband strength. A complementary dic- 
tum of St. Paul's "Epecke Seautm" — "take heed to thy- 
self" — is Solon's "Gnothe Seauton" — "know thyself." 
Take a comprehensive view of the body and its vital or- 
gans. Remember that to do the work demanded it must 
be kept in the best condition possible. That it is merely 
a fine piece of mechanism. Its every part duly and beau- 
tifully adjusted to every other part. That it is composed 
of flesh and blood, nerve and tissue, brain and Ibrawn. 
Upon the healthfulness of these severally depends the 
health of the body as a solidarity. 

Too much stress cannot be laid upon the desirability 
of retaining the organs of the human body in a state of 
normal activity and vigor. On these are conditioned use- 

146 



fulness, happiness, and progressiveness in every walk of 
life. It is a misfortune that so many men are prema- 
turely disqualified for mental labor occasioned by some 
physical ailment. The sequel is a lack of harmony and a 
derangement of the functions of the body. They perform 
their toil under constraint and pain, if at all. The product 
of their labor is neither the best in quality nor the most 
in quantity. In short, their general usefulness is greatly 
curtailed and hindered by their impaired condition. As to 
one's happiness, no less an authority than Sidney Smith 
puts it moderately when he affirms that "it is not impossi- 
ble without health, but it is very difficult of attainment. " 
By "health" he here means not an absence of dangerous 
complaints — for all of us cannot always ward them off — 
but that the body should be kept in perfect tune, as vig- 
orous and as robust as its constitution and antecedents 
will warrant. It is said of Chancellor Thurlow that he 
"rushed like Achilles into the field, and dealt destruction 
around him, more by the strength of his arm, the deep 
tones of his voice and the lightning of his eye, than by 
any peculiarity of genius." And the biographer of the 
Rev. John Angell James tells us that when that gentle- 
man had completed his education "he was remarkable for 
nothing but impetuosity, breadth of chest, and such 
strongly developed tendencies as to warrant this blunt 
summary of his character, 'the thick-headed fool was fit 
for nothing but fighting.' " Notwithstanding, he proved 
the contrary and became a great preacher. Those bodily 
qualities which would have made him a much dreaded 
antagonist in the wrestler's ring, helped, to a marvelous 
degree, to make him a tremendous power in the pulpit. 
The same is true of the prelates of to-day. Without citing 
individual instances, it is evident that size and avoirdu- 
pois are among the co-efficients of the most acceptable 
service in the ministry of the present age. 

These facts having been noticed have given rise to 

147 



that peculiar and perhaps, in a strictly philological and 
theological sense, contradictory phrase, "muscular Chris- 
tianity. " Charles Kingsley declared "that this expression 
had but two positive meanings, one of which was useless 
and irreverent, and the other untrue and immoral/' As 
to the time concerning which he made this comment he 
was doubtless correct. The religion and practices of the 
early Christians were passive and feminine; while the 
profession of a high physical organization never has and 
never will, in the light of the ten commandments, absolve 
a man from the practice of moral virtues. But a new in- 
terpretation of this phrase has been given since Kings- 
ley's time. It has come to mean that there is no piety 
necessarily connected with a puny body, or a face sickled 
o'er with the pale cast of thougiht. Neither does sanctity 
as a matter of course consist in a cadaverous counte- 
nance simply because it happens to be the visage of a man 
who wears a black coat and a white cravat and stands 
once a week in a pulpit dispensing the Bread of Life. No, 
if possible, let these marks be the exception and not the 
rule. That steady confinement and sedentary habits tend 
to produce them is apparent ; the more need then of con- 
stantly following counter-practices which will produce 
more healthful results. In this commonly accepted sense 
it is our hope that muscular Christianity has come to stay, 
and that the thorough development of the body and the 
maintenance of the best condition of health will obtain 
a place in the college curriculum and in our private re- 
gime. 

Nerve and brawn should be developed and conserved 
side by side. They are not strictly speaking equivalent 
counterparts in brain workers, they are co-relatives and 
co-dependents. It may be possible for such men to have 
too much muscle or too little nerve force. Either in ex- 
cess is a disadvantage rather than an advantage. It will 
be seen at a glance that a preacher does not require as 

148 



much brawn as a farmer or a blacksmith in order to per- 
form his work well. He does need sufficient, however, to 
prevent much waste and loss of nerve energy. Enough 
to enable him to recruit rapidly after excessive mental la- 
bor. Unless the body is kept in constant repair, the 
brain, like a two-edged sword, will quickly wear out its 
scabbard body. The nerves are continuously being 
strung and unstrung. If man is a nervous machine gov- 
erned by a temperament, as Esquirol affirms, then its ten- 
sion should be wrought with as much care as the musi- 
cian makes taut the strings of the most delicate instru- 
ment. More men break down nervously than physically 
in the ministry. Here is where the strain comes. Hence, 
here is where reserve force should be stored. That man 
is most fearfully and wonderfully made is shown in every 
part and function of body and soul. In none so strikingly 
as in his nervous system. Let this become disarranged 
and the whole man is like a machine out of gear. 

Moreover, the nerves are greatly affected by emo- 
tion. By a joyous and happy mood, nervous action is in- 
creased, the vital organs are stimulated to do their work 
well and a glow of health pervades the whole body. Grief 
diminishes nervous action. Both these forces are present 
and have to be frequently confronted in the ministerial 
vocation. His religion furnishes him the one, and his 
mingling with the poor, the sick and the disconsolate the 
other. If the joy of the Lord stir the emotions more 
largely and continuously than the sorrows of man, then 
the benefit shall accrue to the heart and the nerves alike. 
As the nerves control all the movements of the body, both 
conscious and unconscious, and these affect its nourish- 
ment, we need to take the greatest care to keep them 
healthy, and especially to avoid all causes likely to injure 
them. Let the laws of digestion be observed. Avoid 
breathing foul air. Give the brain some thinking to do 
daily. Take healthful exercise. When weary give brain 

149 



and nerves rest. Do the hardest studying and closest 
thinking when they are the most vigorous. This is usually 
in the morning hours. Take nutritious food and an abun- 
dance of sleep. 

A decimated body and atrophied nerves in brain 
workers are frequently due to two causes. Both of these 
are common and would need no specification here were 
it not that their very commonness has led many to regard 
them as trivial and of little significance. The first is neg- 
lect. One's general health may be and oftentimes is for- 
gotten under the exhilerating and exciting glow accom- 
panying brain work. Or when not forgotten, it may be 
regarded as equal to, or more than equal, to any strain 
which may be put upon it. Which of the two, neglect or 
over-estimation of health, is the more prevalent, or the 
more to be deplored, is difficult to decide. That they both 
lead to the same end if continued is sadly and invariably 
true. Brain excitement re-acts upon the nerves, the stom- 
ach, the heart, the liver, and upon the entire framework 
of the human system. Its effect upon it is exhausting in 
proportion to its intensity and duration. Notwithstand- 
ing, the strain is often continued, change, rest and exer- 
cise are not thought of, until the body has become im- 
paired. A little attention and fore-thought here, with a 
determination not to neglect the body, would save many 
men from becoming physically weak while they are seek- 
ing to become mentally strong. 

Another prolific cause of general debility is due to 
over brain work and to a too constant application of the 
mind. There are instances on record of men who have 
studied from ten to sixteen hours daily. Few of these 
have ever amounted to much corporally. Neither have 
they been examples of longevity. Such men as Summer- 
field and Robertson, the distinguished divine of Brighton, 
England, may serve as examples of an innumerable com- 
pany. The Rev. John Summerfield, never of a very rug- 

150 



ged or robust constitution, began his marvelous career 
amid great promise. Churches in the principal cities of 
this and other countries were not capacious enough to 
accommodate the multitudes which thronged to his minis- 
try. But his zeal and labor were so excessive that his 
brilliant course terminated within a few years of its in- 
auguration. The Rev. F. W. Robertson furnishes an- 
other lamentable instance of an injudicious and over- 
worked divine. Nervous in temperament, supersensitive 
to public opinion, too introspective and self-conscious by 
nature. By turns he studied, preached and lectured. His 
preaching being largely extemporaneous, was followed 
by that mental after-glow which is usual to such mental 
operations. After seeking medical advise and rest by 
travel, he continued to work on as sedulously as ever. The 
result was brain fever and paralysis, of which he died 
in his thirty-seventh year. Had Robertson given more 
thought to his body and its crying demands he would 
doubtless have come to his grave "like as a shock of corn 
cometh in his season." 

The lives, yea, the deaths, too, of these men should 
remind us that if we overwork we must pay for it. We 
are no different from other men physiologically. Our 
calling will not shield us if we infract nature's laws. We 
reckon on this too much. To do so, however, is super- 
stition. Few of us recognize that this is so, until the dull 
pain in the head, and the exhausted feeling in the chest 
remind us that it is time to call a halt. To heed these 
admonitions is life, to ignore them is death. 

The most prevalent evils consequent upon the neg- 
lect of health laws and over ibrain work are those com- 
mon pests of all literary toilers known in the "Materia 
Medica" as dyspepsia, insomnia and nervous prostration. 
It will be unnecessary for me to describe them. Like 
other ills, to which flesh is heir, they have to be felt and 
experienced to be fully understood. Blessed is the man 

151 



who is ignorant of their gnawings and their stabs. Preach- 
ers are among the most easy victims of these maladies. 
The first often lays its hand upon them in the form of 
kindly hospitality. Their friends load them with goodies 
and fete them with dainties. The temptation proves too 
strong for many. They indulge to their fill, only to find 
themselves suffering a few hours afterwards from a severe 
attack of indigestion. If they are prudent, ever after- 
wards they will heed the admonition of Solomon : "When 
thou sittest down to eat with a ruler, consider diligently 
what is before thee. And put a knife to thy throat, if thou 
be a man given to appetite. Be not desirous of his dain- 
ties, for they are deceitful meat." If imprudent tihey pass 
on and are punished. Indigestion gives place to dyspep- 
sia, which in its most virulent attacks even curdles the 
milk of human kindness and sours the gospel leaven. 

Insomnia is superinduced not alone by excessive 
mental toil, but by pursuing such toil late into the night. 
The great Erasmus of Greek Testament fame gave this 
advice : "Never work at night, it dulls the brain and hurts 
the health/' He was a prodigious toiler, as is clearly 
evinced in the history of "Erasmus and His Times," and 
consequently was thoroughly qualified to give it. As we 
have before said — the morning is the proper time for lit- 
erary work. The brain then has opportunity, like over- 
heated machinery, to cool off gradually. It will be found 
well nigh impossible to disturb it in pottering with liter- 
ature, or wrestling with problems, or cogitating for com- 
position, just before retiring, and then fall into a sound 
sleep. This you will soon learn cannot be done. It will 
go on grinding when you have ceased to put grain into 
the hopper by sheer force of momentum. Here is where 
the danger comes, for the fret and the friction now wear 
the delicate machinery itself. 

Dyspepsia and insomnia are the sure forerunners of 
nervous prostration. They usually appear in the order 

159 



named. They constitute a series, the last being immeas- 
urably worse than the first. Physical wrecks shock our 
sensibilities and stir our sympathies. Nervous and men- 
tal wrecks are still more lamentable. Such sights are 
enough to stir the pity of the angels. If brain workers 
will eat and drink inordinately, if they will at the same 
time force the brain to overwork, then the inevitable con- 
sequence will be dyspepsia, melancholia and sleeplessness. 
Further on it will be proper to show how to restore 
oneself when these ailments have become deep-seated 
and chronic. At this point attention is simply called to 
some of the preventatives. These have always (been found 
more pleasant and less expensive than remedies and re- 
storatives, and when taken in time have warded off the 
attacks of these foes. But not all literary men are sickly, 
not all are dyspeptics, and not all are poor sleepers and 
poor eaters. The causes are sometimes constitutional. 
More frequently they are the result of nonabservance of 
natural laws. After many years of special reading and 
study on the subject I am convinced that the beginning 
of impaired health is in unnatural and meager breathing 
during the hours of literary work ; half breathing, if you 
please. The mind becomes so absorbed in its work as 
that the lungs at times seem to be in a state of suspension. 
Then a free and full expansion seldom goes on. And yet, 
if it were only constantly remembered that the blood 
must pass through them no less than once every two 
minutes that it may be revivified and redistributed, the im- 
portance of a fuller inhalation and exhalation would be 
readily recognized, and being recognized would be acted 
upon. "Age," says Dr. Reveille Parisse, "begins and ad- 
vances through the lungs ; that this organ, essentially 
muscular and permeable, absorbs air, and in a measure 
digests it and assimilates it to our substance, and that 
here the deterioration of the human organism begins. If 
it were possible to bring the sanguinification of the blood 



153 



to its full perfection, I have no doubt that the true means 
of prolonging human life would be found." 

Another authority of note professionally avers 'That 
when the lungs are not properly inflated, the blood cannot 
be oxygenized. Sanguinification is imperfect, and it fol- 
lows that nutrition is imperfect. The action of the heart 
becomes languid, the blood is not propelled to the ex- 
tremities of the system, but accumulates in the internal 
organs. " Such breathing moreover is needful for the re- 
vivification of the brain, equally with that of the muscles, 
and general health of the body. Pause occasionally in 
your work and rising from your desk pace across the 
room, at the same time expanding your chest, and take 
in a few full inhalations of pure air. If you find yourself 
in so passive a state as to scarcely discover a respiration 
visible, purchase a breathing tube, or "inspirator/' and 
use it during labor hours. In addition, when walking, in- 
hale a long breath by installments and exhale it in a like 
manner. In treating the subject of breathing, Dr. Lenox 
Browne remarks : "It must 'be borne in mind that un- 
flinching regularity in this matter is of the greatest im- 
portance. Exercise in moderation, regularly and consci- 
entiously repeated, will increase the breathing capacity, 
improve the voice, and make speaking easy. It may 
change, and has changed, the falsetto of a full grown man 
into a full, sonorous, man's voice ; it may restore, and has 
restored, a lost voice, as it may also cure, and often has 
cured, clergyman's sore throat. It will certainly turn a 
greater quantity of dark, blue blood into bright red blood, 
the appetite will increase, sounder sleep will be enjoyed, 
flesh will be gained and the flabby, palid skin will fill out 
and get a healthy, rosy color. All this, and more, may be, 
and often has been, the result of lung gymnastics carried 
on in moderation and with perseverance." 

The diet should be simple, regular, and nourishing. 
The simpler during the period of hard work, the better. It 

.,'-'. 154 



will then be more easily digested and assimilated. Never 
fill the stomach with food and immediately afterwards 
proceed with your reading, writing or studying. Give the 
brain, the hand, and the eye a respite, even though it may 
be of short duration, while the stomach is engaged in the 
first stages of digestion. The more liberal you are in your 
menu the more caution needs to be exercised against 
over-indulgence, and also against eating pastries and ices. 
Soups, meats, vegetables, eggs, and fruits, should consti- 
tute the staple articles of diet. To prevent indigestion and 
its train of evils one must take constant oversight of his 
daily fare. Do not fall into the erroneous custom of eat- 
ing to please when at the table of another. Neither when 
dining at a hotel, or great dinner; think that you must 
begin — as the "countryman" thought he must — at the be- 
ginning of the "bill of fare"' and go through it from soup 
to toothpicks. When off work, as one should be when 
near the close of the week, or when taking considerable 
outdoor exercise, you may venture to eat more heartily 
and a greater variety. Rev. H. W. Beecher was accus- 
tomed to eat liberally on Saturdays, and sparingly on Sab- 
baths. This rule is a good one to practice, providing that 
one rest and recreate on Saturdays, not otherwise. Even 
then care should be taken that the stomach is not over- 
burdened or indigestible food eaten. 

Exercise and its benefits will more appropriately 
come under the head of "Recreation/' and will be there 
more fully treated. It is pertinent here to briefly mention 
only those evolutions of body which need to be taken reg- 
ularly and moderately, from day to day, in order to keep 
up one's general health. Nothing takes the place of walk- 
ing. Take at least a constitutional daily, unless the 
weather is extremely inclement, or sickness prevents. In 
addition to this exercise which will develop the legs, a 
special gymnastic exercise for the chest will prove greatly 
beneficial to clergymen. A pair of dumbbells, or Indian 

155 






clubs, swung vigorously for a few moments twice or thrice 
every twenty-four hours, will strengthen the muscles of 
the forearm, the chest, and the throat. A new theory re- 
garding vocal culture is gradually taking the place of the 
old, in which less attention is given to the "explosives" 
and "expulsives" and more to the development of the pec- 
toral muscles and the vocal chords by means of various 
chest expanders. Both drills, however, are scientific and 
requisite, and both should be sedulously practiced. 

Regular breathing, nourishing diet, and moderate 
exercise should have the effect of producing such a 
healthful langor as that sleep would at the proper time 
naturally ensue. Should it do so, it becomes at once one 
of the most potent agencies against a physical or nervous 
break-down. Sleep is indispensable to the preacher. He 
can do without food or exercise with less damage to the 
brain than he can without sleep. If it does not ensue in 
a short time he is incapacitated for work and disinclined 
to eat. He must have sleep, and the more of it, within 
reasonable bounds, the more salutory the effects. Do 
not scrimp yourself of it. You cannot do so with impu- 
nity. An error into which some ambitious students fall is 
that such men as Wesley, Edwards and others accommo- 
dated themselves to four or six hours' sleep and they can 
do likewise. How bitter their disappointment after a few 
trials. More sleep, rather than less, should be one's aim 
and practice. Twice four hours is not too much for one 
who gives six or more hours a day to hard concentrated 
brain work. Fenelon and Wesley represent a long line 
of divines who have done a prodigious amount of literary 
lalbor by devoting fewer hours to sleep than the majority 
of their brethren. But even these men had a habit of 
sleeping almost at will. They could go to sleep under 
circumstances which would ordinarily have kept other 
men awake. It is said of the "Father of Methodism" that 
he could lie down and sleep whenever he desired. But 

156 



while Napoleon is said to have slept in his saddle, it has 
never been recorded that Wesley ever slept in his pulpit. 
He was always wide awake there and kept his auditors 
awake as well, however late or protracted the service. 

For procuring sleep various devices have been rec- 
ommended. Dr. Southey's advice was : "Make your last 
employment in the day, something unconnected with the 
other pursuits, and you will be able to lay your head upon 
the pillow, like a child, and sleep." To preachers this is 
sage counsel. Follow it, generally, but especially on Sat- 
urday and Sunday nights. There are some people who 
believe that the sovereign remedy for sleeplessness con- 
sists in counting backwards and forwards, or repeating 
mentally from memory anything that can be produced. 
The most curious expedient which has come to my 
knowledge was one adopted and practiced by a mission- 
ary, who is said to have reiterated the Lord's Prayer until 
his Satanic majesty put him to sleep to get rid of it. This 
is unique, to say the least, but not over devotional. Phy- 
sicians also have their prescriptions. Here is an excerpt 
from the "Medical Record," which contains some prac- 
tical suggestions : "A light supper just before retiring is 
usually of advantage. Baby and brute animals are usual- 
ly somnolent when their stomachs are well supplied with 
food, the activity of the stomach withdrawing the excess 
of blood from the brain, where it is not needed during 
sleep. On the other hand, people who are very hungry 
usually find it very difficult to sleep. And then a habit of 
sleep at a regulated time and during proper hours should 
be cultivated, in case this habit has been lost. In accom- 
plishing this the attainment of a favorable state of mind 
is of great importance. Sleep cannot be enforced by a 
direct exercise of the will. The very effort of the will to 
command sleep is enough to render its attainment nuga- 
tory. The mental state to be encouraged is one of qui- 
escence, one of indifference, a feeling that the recumbent 

157 



posture is a proper one for rest, and that if the thoughts 
are disposed to continue active, they may be safely al- 
lowed to take their course without any effort toward con- 
trol. This state of mind and thought is next akin to 
dreams, and dreaming is next to sound sleep." These are 
the most efficacious preventatives of the evils named, 
which are so common to men of active literary labors in 
the ministry. 

It is possible, however, that these neutralizing agen- 
cies will come to the notice of many too late to be of any 
material aid as deterents. What they need to meet their 
case is a restorative. The body has been neglected, the 
brain has been overworked, the stomach has been abused, 
and the train of ills, above mentioned, have followed. 
What panacea have you to offer is the query on their 
lips? What will cure dyspepsia, insomnia, and nervous 
prostration? The remedies which we venture to suggest 
as curatives, after the patient has been afflicted, are the 
same as we have been recommending to forestall the on- 
coming of the disease. If you are subject to any of these 
ailments then give heed to your general health. Work 
moderately. Look well to your breathing apparatus, your 
food, exercise, and to sleep. 

In addition to these recreate. The word means a re- 
creation. When the mind and body have become so ex- 
hausted that they cannot perform their respective func- 
tions, then more than ordinary methods must be adopted 
to revivify them and impart to them new vigor. The most 
heroic measures sometimes have to be employed, such as 
entire mental rest, travel, medical skill, and anesthetics. 
These should be resorted to for the prolongation of life 
and service. It will also be found expedient to betake 
oneself to various other pursuits. When this is done, 
whether the recreation is to forestall a break-down, or to 
build up when the break-down has come, choose those 
forms of exercise which will call you most into the open 

158 



air, and afford you the most pleasurable physical exhiler- 
ation. For convalescent preachers at sanitariums, or on 
the parsonage lawn, a game of tennis court, or croquet, 
may furnish enough movement of body and activity of 
muscles compatible with returning health and strength. 
But these pastimes are not, on the whole, for any but 
lady's men and sickly men. Neither of these types is min- 
isterially ideal, nor is either of the games. The kind of 
recuperative strength which one should seek is that which 
comes from a moderate indulgence in the manly sports. 
Walking has already been mentioned, to which may be 
added fishing, rowing, hunting, baseball, football, garden- 
ing, and horseback riding. It was a rule which Loyola 
placed upon his followers that after two hours of work 
the mind should unlimber by some diversion or recre- 
ation. Perhaps it is not generally known that most of 
the masters of English, although some of them in early 
life suffered from the evils of over brain work, and lack of 
proper bodily exercise, in after years forced themselves to 
take those relaxations and diversions which were most 
congenial or most accessible, and so prolonged their lives 
and labors. Yet this is undoubtedly so. The renowned 
Archbishop Whately was as great a walker as he was a 
talker among the men of his day. Timothy Dwight, an- 
other divine, by walking cured himself of a disease of the 
brain which would doubtless have curtailed his literary 
work and usefulness and shortened his days. Other brain 
workers equally as illustrious in the realm of letters have 
turned to the streams, the woods, the saddle, and in these 
days to the omnipresent bicycle, for the desired means of 
mental rest and recreation. Others have planted trees, 
dug ditches and jumped them, built fences and performed 
various other feats as their favorite pastime. Have a 
penchant for one or more of these yourself. If feasible, 
one which will require you to be out of doors and neces- 
sitate a more or less vigorous movement of the limbs. If 

159 



any of the above methods suggested are not within your 
reach, others are. Take those which are near at hand. 
Seek entertainment, also, in some suitable by-study, some 
subject which will take you out .of the groove of your 
profession. Newton, the astronomer, delved into the my- 
steries of the Apocalypse ; Pitt, the statesman, into the 
Greek and Latin classics ; Brougham, into optics ; Fene- 
lon, the French divine, into geometry. In our own day, 
and among men of our own calling, some turn aside to 
the study of history, law, physics, sociology, drawing, en- 
gineering, photography, printing, and other like literary 
and scientific pursuits, as a relief from the constant rou- 
tine pressure of the pastorate. 

A word or two about ministerial vacations shall ter- 
minate this chapter on "Health, Exercise and Recrea- 
tion. " Shall preachers have stated vacations? If so, 
shall these vacations always be taken during the heated 
term? To these two questions diverse answers might be 
given, each of which might appear correct. Something 
must depend on the local circumstances centering around 
the churches and the preachers as to whether the answer 
shall be Yes or No. A definite answer is probably not 
forthcoming from any quarter on account of the com- 
plexity and complicated nature of the questions. While 
it is my own candid opinion that preachers, like others 
whose work is largely with the brain, need a vacation and 
should have one, I am, nevertheless, convinced that it 
should not be stated, as once every so many months, but 
rather when the opportune time seems to be indicated, 
and the state of one's health demands. It is always bad 
policy to close a church during a part or the whole of the 
summer. Or for all the -ministers in a community or ward 
to be taking a vacation at one and the same time. Neither 
will it create among the multitudes of toilers who must 
stay at home and labor for their daily sustenance a favor- 
able impression of the mission of the churches, or the 

160 



office work of the minister. To be sure, it is delightful 
and desirable too to be under the leafy bowers of the for- 
est, or taking a dip in the ocean, in the summer. Never- 
theless, we are supposed at least to practice self-denial. 
Here is the opportunity. The sick need visitation, the 
dead must be buried, and the mourners comforted. If 
consonant with our own health, let us stay and do what 
we can to alleviate the sorrows of others, and help bear 
their burdens. 

This does not mean that we should take no vacation. 
It means, rather, that when other ministers in our vicinity 
leave their posts we will stand by ours. When they re- 
turn, if we so desire, and can so arrange, we will go when 
we shall be least missed, when we most need rest, and 
when the work of the Lord shall not suffer. Time your 
departure and your stay. Go in the spring, or the autumn, 
or the winter, and not always the summer. Horace once 
gave to a legal friend of his this piece of curt advise : "Et 
rebus omissis atria servantem postico falle clientum," 
which, being freely translated, is this : "Take once in a 
while a holiday as a cure, and give a slip to your clients 
through the back door." It is as sound counsel for the 
clergyman as for the lawyer. Act upon it, and you will 
find that rest, that recreation, and that stimulus, which 
will enable you to return with new zest, energy, and 
power to prosecute your noble work of preaching the un- 
searchable riches of Christ to dying men. 



161 



CHAPTER IX. 



BEACONS OF WARNING. 



Whenever the trainman displays the red flag, or 
swings the red light, he always means, "Beware," "Look 
Out," "Danger Ahead." The man in the caboose of the 
express with his hand on the throttle valve may neither 
see the dangers nor heed them. But when they have 
been discovered, and warning given, it behooves him to 
shut off steam, put down the brakes, and if necessity shall 
require, come to a standstill. Should he do otherwise, 
property and life are jeopardized. It would be, presuma- 
bly, more to his liking to go thundering on his way until 
he reached his destination. But in view of the perils 
ahead, unknown or only guessed by him, that destination 
might never be reached. So with the man in the pulpit, 
he dislikes to see the danger signals put forth by some 
cautious and observing ministerial brother, whose line of 
travel may have led him past these hazardous places in 
the road. He feels confident that he will neither run into 
any snare nor off the track. Alas, that so many do ! And 
because they do, we venture to flash out the red light of 
danger, and to utter a word of warning concerning these 
dangerous curves and turns. 

The first beacon of warning is beware of allowing 
yourself, even occasionally, much less habitually, to 
preach censoriously. A preacher never finds his ideal 
church, or flawless congregation, any more than either of 
these finds a perfect pastor. Little incongruities, incon- 
sistencies, and imperfections will appear as he becomes 
familiar with his flock. Petty annoyances will show them- 

162 



selves, such as a lack of church enterprise, an inclination 
to stay at home from one or more of the weekly services, 
a disposition on the part of some to keep the salary down. 
These and manifold other irritants, too numerous to men- 
tion here, will sometimes lead to unadvised and untimely 
remarks in the pulpit. The preaching will take on a cen- 
sorious or fault-finding tone. The minister will frequently 
deplore the paucity of the audience. He will contrast the 
alacrity and regularity with which some of his people 
attend entertainments, and the dilatory and intermittant 
methods of going to church ; and how the weather does 
not keep them from the performance of business and so- 
cial duties. Now it may be very proper to make mention 
of such delinquencies once in a while in a spirit of love 
and with much plainness of speech, nevertheless it must 
be done with delicacy and tact. Never as though you 
were provoked or that those present were to blame for 
those who had absented themselves. 

I have read somewhere of a minister who had be- 
come a common pulpit scold. He censured everybody 
and everything. A good deacon who saw the peril threat- 
ening his pastor kindly invited him to spend a few days at 
his home. When the hour for morning prayers came, in- 
stead of inviting his pastor to lead in the devotions, the old 
man selected the twenty-first chapter of St. John's Gospel, 
and proceeded to read. When he came to the Master's 
injunction to Peter, "Feed my sheep/' he read, "Beat my 
sheep." The pastor detected what he supposed a slip of 
the tongue. The old man read on until he came to the 
words, "Feed my lambs," when again he purposely read 
"Whack my lambs." By this time the pastor began to 
suspect that this new reading was intentional. He in- 
quired if it were so, and was kindly informed that it was 
to illustrate the fault into which some "good shepherds" 
fall of using the shepherd's crook as a rod with which to 
beat, instead of with which to lead the flock of Christ. 

163 



Again quite recently a prominent clergyman of Ohio is 
said to have taken up fifteen minutes in berating the stay- 
aways. How much better it would have been had he 
preached to those who had come out and who certainly 
deserved more courteous treatment at his hands than they 
received. In so doing, he would have spared his own 
feelings and theirs, and possibly have done some good, 
which would have been as lasting as the soul itself. Let 
these be as beacon lights which shall serve to prevent us 
from falling into this fault-finding habit. 

Then, again, beware of what is commonly known 
as the "rainy day" sermon. It is a great drawback to 
preachers, in rural districts especially, to have stormy 
Sabbaths. While in the city worshippers are detained at 
home on this account, there are more proportionately in 
the country villages. The preparation for the pulpit has 
been made during the week with the expectation that the 
ordinary congregation would be on hand. When the day 
dawns, the wind blows and the rain descends, and the 
people — well, they stay at home, and the sanctuary has 
more unoccupied than occupied seats. Under these cir- 
cumstances some preachers will lay aside the sermon 
they have prepared and give a talk on some familiar text. 
Others will hold a prayer or fellowship meeting. Still 
others will decline to hold any service, and let the few 
persons who have come go home after the announcement 
has been made that in view of the storm and the small 
congregation, public worship will be omitted. 

Any one of these substitutes for the regular service 
is out of place and withal disastrous to the growth of the 
church and the usefulness of the pastor. It is only justice 
to those who come that they should hear a sermon. The 
wise minister will let his members understand that on 
stormy Sabbaths they may expect it, and that he will do 
what he can to make it his best and deliver it in the most 
acceptable manner feasible. That he will do this whether 

164 



there are many or few at church. On such occasions he 
will prudently avoid saying much, either in his remarks 
or his prayer, about the promise to the twos and the 
threes. To call attention in this way to the paucity of the 
congregation is to detract from the anticipation and ani- 
mation of those present. He will be discreet enough to 
husband his forces and rouse himself to unusual energy 
and earnestness, that he may counter-act the depressing 
influences of a small gathering and inclement weather. 
Many a clergyman has so done until the people, instead 
of saying: "Oh, there will not be a large number out to- 
day, and Dr. Holdback will not preach to a few/' will say, 
"Our preacher, Rev. Do Best, will be on hand and we 
shall have a spiritual feast." If our Master could afford 
to preach the greatest sermon which was ever delivered 
on "Regeneration" to a solitary man, who came to him by 
night; if weary and at noontide, under the penetrating 
rays of the scorching sun, he could preach a sublime ser- 
mon on the "Spirituality of God" to a woman of the city, 
we need not withhold our most elaborate discourse from 
the ear of even one who has come to hear us speak forth 
the words of eternal life. Nicodemus never forgot the 
preacher or his theme. Neither was the Samaritan wom- 
an possibly ever oblivious of Jesus, "who told her all 
things that ever she did." It may be so with us if faith- 
ful in the performance of duty under difficulties. 

Anyway we should preach, to one or more, to the 
utmost of our ability whenever the opportunity presents 
itself. These rainy day sermons can often be made most 
effective by reason of the chances thev give for direct 
and personal application, if w r e make the most of them 
when they come for souls and for Christ. Do not be like 
a certain minister who one evening had present only one 
auditor, and he a distinguished General, tainted with lep- 
rosy, not like Naaman's, the Syrian, of the skin, but the 
leprosy of sin. The parson read the prayers, but did not 

165 



preach. At the close of the service the General ap- 
proached him, and is said to have uttered these words: 
"Doctor, you missed a great opportunity to-night, for you 
had me alone and might have preached right at me." 
Who knows but what if that pastor had done his duty he 
might have said something which in the providence of 
God would have resulted in the General's conversion. 
Whether or not, it would have been so, no mortal can 
positively say. It was for him to do it, but he did it not, 
and ever afterwards that sinner felt, at least, that one 
preacher had failed to show him the way of Life when he 
was willing and ready to be instructed and directed 
therein. 

Elizabeth Stuart Phelps, in the "Life" of her distin- 
guished father, Professor Austin Phelps, D. D., of And- 
over, says of him: "He had an unusual respect for the 
comprehension of the average parishioner. He had an 
ordinary faith in the pliability of the few brave and hardy 
villagers who dared a New England sleet storm, at its 
worst, to hear him — it seemed with more than his usual 
fire and with all his accustomed elegance. He never 
talked down to a small parish. He never slighted a hum- 
ble people. He never patronized the appreciation of plain 
hearers." In this, as well as in the performance of other 
ministerial duties, Professor Phelps is an example worthy 
of the closest imitation. 

The old sermon, what shall be done with it? Shall 
it be repreached or destroyed? Something depends upon 
what answers shall be given to these inquiries as -to its 
matter, the incidents that originally called it forth, and 
the manner of its delivery. If it be a written sermon, 
preached directly from the manuscript, it should seldom 
be repeated, unless it be purely a doctrinal discourse. If 
it is an extemporaneous sermon it cannot be repreached 
verbatim. Some sermons are born of the needs of the 
flock. Others spring up from peculiarly attending cir- 

166 



cumstances. These needs and circumstances may never 
again repeat themselves. Consequently, the discourses 
to which they gave rise should never again be preached. 
There are, however, sermons the gist of which will bear 
repetition, without fostering indolence in the preacher, 
or afflicting the audience. Some of the greatest pulpit 
orators have proclaimed the same message forty, fifty and 
even a hundred times. The marks on one of Dr. Griffin's 
manuscripts show that he must have delivered it no less 
than ninety-eight times by actual count. Whitefield 
preached his famous sermon on the "Nature and Neces- 
sity of Regeneration" over a hundred times. It is proba- 
ble, however, that extensive changes were made in its 
verbiage from time to time. The extemporaneous preach- 
er must have a new subject to pique his mind and stir it 
into activity, before he can present a subject with that 
freshness, vigor and vivacity which will stir the minds of 
his hearers. If, therefore, he desire to repeat an old dis- 
course, the best way is for him to examine the sketch 
carefully, note its salient points, reconstruct them rhetor- 
ically and logically, add any new matter, illustration, or 
incident, and then deliver it. Of course, it will be by this 
time a comparatively new sermon. There is a marked 
difference between old bread warmed over and the old 
leaven put into new meal; between water drawn from a 
cistern and water drawn from a spring. There is just 
as much difference, and it is just as perceptible to one 
whose spiritual taste is sharp, between an old sermon and 
a new one. This difference is not so readily recognized, 
perhaps not recognized at all by some, when the manu- 
script is not employed. It is recorded that Caesar burned 
the bridges in the rear of himself and his army. This he 
did to prevent a retreat, if one were essayed. It would be 
a good plan, likewise, for many preachers to burn some 
of their old sermonic material to effectually prevent its 
being repeated. 

167 



I do not wish by these remarks to convey the idea 
that all sermons in full or in outline should be consigned 
to the flames. No, but rather to point out that for a min- 
ister to depend upon them as a staple supply for the pul- 
pit, it would be a more lasting advantage to him intellec- 
tually if they were so destroyed. A wide awake progres- 
sive preacher seldom has to revert to his old stock. He 
has more sermon norms than he can find opportunity to 
develop and present. The embarrassment which con- 
fronts him is which theme to select out of the multitude 
which press upon him for more immediate filling out and 
presentation. Professor J. M. Hoppin gives four rules 
touching this phase of our subject, which I here insert: 
"First — Never depend upon old sermons for your minis- 
;ry; this is fatal. Second — Never preach an old sermon 
where you can preach a new one, even on the same sub- 
ject and the same text. Third — If you preach an old ser- 
mon, always recast it in a fresh form, using the thought 
that is good in it, rather than using its special form of 
presenting the truth. Fourth — Having remoulded the 
material of an old sermon into a new form thrust it once 
more into the furnace fires of divine love, of ardent pray- 
ers and spiritual desires for the highest good of men and 
the pure glory of God." If you have a barrel of them, 
hoop them up, and look out for new matter and new 
methods of communicating your message. For your own 
growth, intellectually, theologically and spiritually you 
should do this. 

Never be guilty of airing and parading personal 
doubts, or the doubts of others, in the pulpit. Never 
serve up to the people the so-called findings of the Higher 
Critics as being final and authoritative. Indeed, the age 
we live in is in a state of transition. Doubt is giving place 
to credence. The swing of the pendulum of authority is 
back to Christ and His Word, as recorded by the New 
Testament writers. Again, doubts should not be flaunted 

168 



by the man in the pulpit, because the man in the pew, if 
he is mentally wide awake, will have enough of his own. 
Moreover, it may be rightly assumed that most people 
will find numerous difficulties in their interpretation of 
the Scriptures, and preachers ought not to add to them. 
You are within the citadel of truth to defend and not to 
betray the garrison. Should you discover that you can- 
not do this, then a change of regimentals and of standards 
will be in order, and you can take your place like a man 
on the outside of the (breastworks of orthodoxy. A trai- 
tor is always worse than an open foe. Therefore, when 
you stand upon the battlements of Zion, give forth no 
uncertain alarm, but stand by your guns and your colors. 
These are your ordination vows and your standards of 
doctrine, and these you should preach and defend. 

Another danger that threatens the modern pulpit, 
and against which a warning note must be raised, is "sen- 
sationalism." American preachers go to seed here, and 
it is one of the most prolific causes of a decline of pulpit 
power. The sacred desk has been brought to a level with 
the lecture platform, the dais of the professional de- 
claimer, and, alas, in some instances, with the boards of 
the theater. Far be it from me to take up a railing accu- 
sation against the brethren. It would be more in conson- 
ance with my desire to be silent at this point than to 
speak out. But someone must speak out against this 
clerical montebankery, and since this subject is within 
the perview of this book, I am constrained to do so. Let 
none think for a moment that the sensationalism of the 
pulpit is a mere peccadillio. Or that it is confined to one 
set of ministers or takes on one peculiar form. True, its 
two favorite methods of making itself known and felt are 
by using various advertising mediums, and adverting 
to the spectacular and grotesque in execution. The ad- 
vertising columns of the Saturday and Sunday newspa- 
pers usually contain a list of the subjects which are to 'be 

169 



treated in the pulpit by the ministers of their respective 
cities. Run your eye down the list. Do not be startled 
if you discover that a number of them are grossly secular, 
and others border on the irreverent and blasphemous. 
Here are a few samples : "The Devil a Barber," "The 
Church's Bowel Complaint/' "Old Clothes for New 
Souls," "Crumbs of Comfort for Chickens of Grace." Do 
you wonder that people who have been taught to regard 
the Church of Jesus Christ as a place where they may 
hear the gospel preached, stay away from the sanctuary, 
and prefer the park, the seashore, or the home with its 
liberty, to the Church and its semi-comical preacher? 

In a New Jersey town not long ago, according to the 
Associated Press reports, a preacher advertised that he 
would take as his subject the next morning "On Guard/' 
and would illustrate it by a living picture. When the 
morning service began, there sat the preacher with a 
satisfied look overspreading his countenance, while at his 
feet lay a large Newfoundland dog. The program ar- 
ranged to be carried out was that the dog should by his 
posture on the platform portray the meaning of the ser- 
mon in which the Christian was to be represented as "on 
guard." But, O horrors ! just when the preacher was ap- 
proaching that part of his homily which his canine friend 
was to carry out, and when the congregation was at the 
point of qui vive, the dog arose, shook himself, yawned, 
and leisurely trotted off the platform, down the aisle and 
to his home whence his clerical friend had brought him 
that morning. The scene which followed can be better im- 
agined than described. It were as though the dumb dog, 
like Balaam's dull ass, had rebuked the prophet. We trust 
it was so regarded and that for all time to come that 
preacher, nor any other, will ever again make a spectacle 
of his lack of common sense in the House of the Lord. 

Almost every new fangled machine which becomes 
popular has to be "churched" by some poltroon of a 



170 



preacher. Hence, the phonograph has been placed on 
exhibition in the sanctuary on the Lord's day, and made 
to preach, in squeaky tones, the inconsequential discourse; 
of the man with a white cravat and flowing locks. The 
prophet Ezekiel, we fear, neve*- surmised what a service 
he was rendering to the hard-put sensational pulpiteer, 
when he spoke of that mysterious "wheel within a wheel." 
If he had, he might have hesitated to give utterance to 
that sublime passage, for it has come into use in these 
days like a new revelaion. According to some of the seers 
of our day, Ezekiel must have meant the coming into 
vogue of that wonderful wheel — the bicycle. Accord- 
ingly churches have been decorated with cycles. They 
have been swung up over the pulpit, adorned with gay 
flowers and ribbons. They have been stacked in rows 
upon the rostrum, and couped up within chancel rails. 
Invitations have been extended bicycle clubs to attend 
divine service — a travesty on the words — in costume, that 
they might listen to encomiums on the wheel, and lauda- 
tions of themselves. O, Lord ! to what extremes of folly 
will such men descend? To what sacrilegious purposes 
will they put Thy house? Beware of all forms of sensa- 
tionalism. One may advertise his subjects and may seek 
to make his services spicy and attractive. There are legi- 
timate ways of doing all this and more, without adverting 
to means and ways that are, to say the least, questionable 
in their character. It is commendable to seek constantly 
for the best methods of drawing and holding a congrega- 
tion. One of the very best of which I know anything is 
to lift up Christ in every service, for He himself has said : 
"And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw men ■ 
unto me." St. Paul also found this to work admirably, 
and hence declared of himself and co-workers: "We 
preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumbling block, 
and unto the Greeks foolishness. But unto them which 
are called, both Jews and Gentiles, Christ the power of 

171 



God and the wisdom of God." It has endured the test of 
time, is as efficacious as ever, and unlike all others shall 
never lose its power. Spurgeon could crowd his taberna- 
cle with six thousand eager listeners every Sabbath with 
it. Robertson, Parker and Simpson have filled the larg- 
est churches with it. This is the only magnet which will 
effectually draw and hold the children of men. 

Another form of sensationalism is the dramatic. 
There can be no doubt that pictures and gestures are aids 
in comprehending difficult and obstruce subjects. The 
eyes of the multitude are more learned than their ears. 
It is therefore commendable on the part of teachers and 
preachers of the Word to convey the truth they seek to 
impart in the most impressive manner. And yet caution 
needs to be exercised here. A pictorial sermon, either 
by chart or lantern, may edify the young and old. On 
the whole, however, I am of the opinion that nothing 
takes the place of the voice of the living oracle. Especial- 
ly when it is attuned and guided by love and wisdom. It 
should not escape your notice that you are to preach and 
not to act. This monition does not preclude a reasonable 
amount of gesticulation. It does warn against the too 
frequent use of the clenched fist, pounding the cushion or 
the desk, stamping the feet, and running from one side of 
the platform to the other. These pulpit antics should be 
tabooed. They are gyrations in which the younger and 
more demonstrative preachers are apt to indulge. They 
detract on the whole from pulpit dignity and power. 
Therefore put them under the bane. 

You will be among the more fortunate ones if there 
shall not come times when the due bills will come in, and 
the brethren, in their slackness or impecuniousness, shall 
have failed to keep the stipend paid up. Such a state of 
affairs is aggravating and irritating. You will be lead 
to think that if the people knew your financial condition, 
they would come at once to your relief. Perhaps your 

172 



conjecture is well founded. This being your belief, after 
vainly having sought alleviation at the hands of the offi- 
ciary of the church, you are tempted to present the mat- 
ter to the congregation. You cannot see that any harm 
will come from so doing. It may not have occurred to 
you that unless you are unusually wary and skillful in the 
presentation of your case, the people will construe your 
words into a dunning notice. Occasions may arise, and 
doubtless do arise, when it may be proper for a financial 
statement to be made to the whole assembly of worship- 
pers. When this is to be done, and your salary is largely 
involved, induce the treasurer or a trustee to present the 
matter. If you feel that you can add anything thereto, it 
is your privilege, and you can do so with a little better 
grace on account of what has preceded. Never, if you 
can avoid it, say anything about your salarv, which will 
sound like dunning, or that will be harsh or denunciatory. 
To talk it, as some preachers are in the habit of doing, 
every tew Sabbaths, is not only grossly inconsistent with 
their calling and the place they occupy, but tends to give 
the impression that they are preaching for money and not 
for souls. And yet there are times when something must 
be said and done, or men of God will be under the neces- 
sity of discontinuing their labors or hampering themselves 
with debt. When such a crisis arises, the best way is to 
lay the matter before the officers of the church. If they 
heed you not, and you cannot supplement your depleted 
income by writing for the press, or teaching school, or in 
some other dignified way — until you can find a new field 
of labor — state your case in a manly, straightforward 
manner to the congregation, and if succor does not come 
to you, either by the salary being paid, or those in author- 
ity releasing you, then release yourself, and go elsewhere. 
The Lord himself has assured us that "the laborer is 
worthy of his hire/' 

It is well to learn the lesson at the very beginning 

173 



of your ministry that little of a personal character is to 
find utterance in the pulpit. If you may not, as a rule, 
speak of your support there, neither may you make it the 
forum in which to air your personal piques and misunder- 
standings. Perhaps someone has said something about 
you which was very unkind and unjust. You may have 
been compared unfavorably to your predecessor. Or you 
may not have called on someone often enough, and for 
this you are severely criticised. But this has not been 
done in a dignified manner, nor by the critic in person. 
It has come to you in a round about way, nevertheless in 
a way which makes you feel that you would be justified 
in vindicating yourself against such aspersions. If you are 
naturally a man of belligerent tendencies, the temptation 
to boldly defend yourself is well nigh overpowering. If 
you conclude to do so, when and where shall it be? You 
cannot very well find out the originator of the criticism. 
And then it has spread all through the congregation. 
You come to the conclusion that the only place open to 
you for making your defense is the pulpit. And yet this 
is just the place where it should not be made. It will 
be far better to be silent there than to enter upon either 
a mild or vigorous defense. For these reasons, among 
others, there will be some in your audience who will hear 
of your grievance for the first time when you yourself 
speak of it. Further, some will regard your explanation 
or defense as unsatisfactory. Then again you take an 
undue advantage of your critics, for they cannot reply if 
they were so disposed. This is what our English breth- 
ren call "pulpit proof/' which is no proof at all. There- 
fore, avoid carrying differences into the Lord's house. 
If you have a grievance with any brother, seek its settle- 
ment in the proper place and in the proper manner. That 
fortitude of which St. Paul speaks is never more in de- 
mand by the man of God than in his silently ignoring 
many of those little irritating complaints which he some- 

174 



times hears reported about him, and in refraining from 
making any mention of them from the sacred desk. 

In your capacity as pastor, you will become the one 
person in your parish to whom much that transpires, 
whether it be good or whether it be bad, will come. You 
will hear of the misfortunes and the good fortunes of 
your people. If there is any news, or gossip, or scandal, 
going the rounds, you will probably soon be posted re- 
garding it. You will be asked what you think of the con- 
duct of this and that person? If this and that person has 
not had an altercation? There will be individual mis- 
understandings and family feuds brought to your atten- 
tion. You will feel at times as though some of them 
have been greatly exaggerated and that you should 
speak about them. You ask yourself, "what shall I do 
to set matters right when they have gone wrong?" First 
when any such matters come to your ear, keep your own 
counsel. Take time to investigate the truthfulness or 
falsity of what you hear. If the statements are confirmed 
and you conclude that it would be wise for you to inter- 
fere, do so in private, and as a peacemaker, and not as 
a meddler or busy-body. Under no circumstances what- 
ever repeat what you have heard in one household which 
may be derogatory in another. You are to be a house 
going pastor, but not a tale bearer or news monger. 

Strange as it may seem there are men in the ministry 
who, instead of allaying strifes among their members, stir 
them up and sometimes foment broils where there are 
none. True there are black sheep and unruly bucks in 
every flack. They are constantly wandering or striving. 
The shepherd's business is to bring the wandering ones 
back to the fold and the tuppers under subjection. It is 
not for him by word or act to make it easy for them to 
continue their course. He must, therefore, never incite 
or encourage them, but restrain them. This he may 
most effectively accomplish by private admonition and 

175 



personal care. Nothing can be more disastrous or de- 
moralizing than for him to make mention of any of these 
incidents in the sanctuary service. Should he do so, he 
will advertise from his pulpit the gossip of the parish. 
Then instead of his efforts making for peace and quiet- 
ness, they tend to keep the rumors afloat and the trouble 
brewing. Many a community has been kept in a state of 
unrest and disquietude by the uncautious and unwise 
comments of the preacher regarding the private and fam- 
ily affairs of the members of his church. And many a 
church has been honey-combed and rent asunder by the 
differences of its members or by the pastor repeating his 
confidential disclosures and reiterating the reports of 
some of this mischief-making gossip. 

Public prayer, like preaching, is not always flawless 
or unobjectionable. It is frequently marred by infelici- 
tous petitions and glaring improprieties. If there is such 
a thing as playing to the galleries, there is such a thing 
as praying to the galleries. Almost everybody has heard 
of the newspaper correspondent who, in reporting the 
account of a religious meeting, very naively described the 
prayer as "one of the finest ever made to a Boston audi- 
ence. " The reason for thus writing it up was that it was 
offered to the people and not to the Lord. Another form 
of infelicitous praying is in making mention of parties 
present. During presidential campaigns, some ministers, 
when the candidates for office are in the audience, pray 
in such a way as to clearly indicate that the prayer was 
for their ear rather than the ear of God. It is likewise 
common to hear some ministers pray for this highly in- 
tellectual audience and for the highly cultured brother 
who is to preach to us, and for the most eloquent sermon 
that we have just heard. These and kindred other 
phrases are entirely out of place in public petition. 

Still another form of maledroit praying has been per- 
ceptible and palpable in many pulpits of late years. In- 

176 



stance the many petitions which have been offered for 
Cuba, Greece and Ireland at periods when there has been 
a kind of religious jingoism in the air. The praying too 
often has been to the sympathizers of these people and 
these countries and not so much to God for them. To 
pray for the oppressed and down-trodden, to seek divine 
help and divine favor in behalf of those who are strug- 
gling against unnumbered foes, is perfectly in accord with 
the teachings of God's word. It should, however, only 
be made in cases in which there is no doubt as to the 
right of the oppressed, and then in language suitable to 
supplication and not to special pleading before men. 
Guard against these common and glaring faults. If you 
do not, you will be liable to disgust the men for whom 
you are praying, injure the cause for which you make en- 
treaty, shock the more devout of your congregation, and 
stultify yourself as a minister of Jesus Christ. 

But because pulpit prayers are sometimes injudicious 
and unappropriate, I most emphatically dissent from the 
latest move which is being made in some quarters to 
abolish them. For example, Dr. J. E. Roberts, pastor of 
the Church of the World (a portentious appellation) re- 
cently organized at Kansas City, Missouri, announces 
that prayer will form no part of the services hereafter. 
He proceeds, "I believe that praying in public has become 
to be a purely perfunctory performance, that had better 
be abandoned. It lacks the spontaneousness which 
should characterize the effort. Sincerity also is absent. 
The minister in the regular program at the due intervals 
arrives at the stage where a prayer is prescribed. He 
may or may not feel like it, but his instructions are plain 
and he prays. It is sentiment rather than reason, and he 
talks to the crowd more than to the great unknown. If 
we have prayers they will be free and rational. I would 
as soon make a prayer anywhere else as in a church. 
Prayers in church are always influenced by surroundings 

177 



and traditions. Did you ever take short-hand notes on 
the average prayer in the church? No? Well try it, and 
you will be surprised at the collection of words you ob- 
tain. All these prayers at the opening of congress, at 
political meetings, and other public gatherings are a 
travesty." All of which may be true, when the form and 
the letter are prominently present in the prayers and the 
spirit and feeling are conspicuously absent. This fact, 
however, is not sufficient to justify their abrogation. 

Making light of sacred things, persons, and places, 
is extremely reprehensible. To speak flippantly and 
jauntily in the pulpit on such subjects is grossly irrev- 
erent, and, I fear, borders on the unpardonable sin. 
There is in most men that which may be called "wit" or 
"humor." Many preachers have quite a modicum of it, 
which occasionally needs repressing. But not because 
it is not as legitimate to provoke a smile as to draw a 
tear. Indeed, unless you can do the one, it is doubtful 
whether you will ever accomplish the other. And yet 
both may be the outward evidences of an inward emotion 
which is the precursor of an acceptance of some divine 
truth. The objection to the exercise of the gift of fa- 
cetiousness or the gift of pathos, by which either of these 
results is brought about, lies in its employment for the 
mere sake of provoking a laugh or shedding a tear. If 
the utterance of some pungent truth or some pathetic in- 
cident produces either it is not necessarily wrong. It is 
in trying to be funny for the purpose of making your 
auditors laugh. It is in trying to -be smart by giving a 
comical turn to some serious event, or in making ludi- 
crous that which is momentous and awe-inspiring. As 
when, for example, one jests about Jonah and the whale, 
or Balaam and his ass. Such a practice is censurable in 
the minister, at any time, and under any circumstances. 
It is bad enough in private conversation, in the pulpit it 
is nauseating and disgusting. When a pastor once gets 

178 



the name of joker or a reputation as a jester, whether this 
is among his ministerial brethren, or the people of his 
flock, his power for good and his standing for that which 
is weighty and grave in import, has been greatly lessened 
if not destroyed. 

Another fault closely akin to the above, to which 
some ministers must plead guilty, is the prevalent custom 
of story telling. Now a good story teller of a good story 
will relieve the tedium of many a long journey and wile 
away the hours of many a long night. The danger is 
that story telling may become a habit. It may be, and 
has become a sort of rivalry among "men of the cloth," 
one vying with another to see who can tell the best story. 
Alas ! truth compels me to say that in some instances it 
is not the best but the worst story which is regarded as 
the best. There are few of us who cannot tell a story and 
fewer still who do not enjoy hearing one told. But far 
be it from anyone called to the sacred office to repeat or 
give countenance to any anecdote or incident which is in- 
delicate, smutty, or irreverent. Remember the rebuke 
General Grant once administered to one of his officers 
who, being about to tell an indecent incident, inquired if 
there were any ladies present, to which the General made 
reply, "No, but there are gentlemen." This answer had 
the effect of keeping the officer's lips sealed. Pity it is 
when men of God exaggerate and stretch a story about a 
fish, a horse, or fabricate a story to beat one that someone 
else may have told. When they hesitate not to repeat 
some salacious tale they have read or heard, which should 
make a man blush to know, much more to recount. 
Neither tell nor listen to anything which purports to be 
about a woman's escapades, or a lecher's adventures, or 
anything that would be regarded as immodest or impure. 
But "whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are 
honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are 
pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are 

179 



of good report, if there be any virtue, and if there be any 
praise, think on these things/' listen to these things, and 
concerning these things speak. 

Just now much is being written and said about plag- .. 
iarism. What is it? Briefly answered it is theft. The 
word is a derivative from "plagiary" of Latin origin. The 
Romans regarded a plagiary as a kidnapper, a person 
who stole men, and sold them into slavery. One of their 
writers applies this epithet to a man who steals the ideas 
and words that belong to another, hence the significance 
attached to the word plagiarism to-day. It seems to be 
an incongruity to warn men who preach ethics and moral- 
ity against theft. And yet, that some of these very men 
have been guilty of the crime has been again and again 
put beyond a peradventure. How they could do it, is 
either because they do not see the heinousness of the act, 
or else their moral perceptions are naturally obtuse, or 
by practice of the evil have become blunted. Much diffi- 
culty attaches to the treatment of this subject because 
most of our knowledge comes to us from other sources. 
There is little originality in the sense that our thoughts, 
information and language differ essentially from others 
who might write or speak on the same themes. The 
spider spins his gossamer wdb from his body, and this 
gossamer line may be said to be original with the spider. 
The matter, however, of which it is composed was in 
existence as matter before it took the form of a thread of 
gossamer. It was incorporated into the corpus of the 
spider, but was first animal or vegetable matter, if we go 
far enough back in our analysis. 

If in following the analogy, the student will take 
into his mental apparatus what he sees, hears and reads, 
and spin it out not as it went in, but as he desires it to 
take shape, the output will be original both in matter 
and form. To explain further, that which he saw was 
an action, he depicts it ; that which he heard or read was 

180 



general in its character, he transmutes it into the con- 
crete; it was without any application, or object, he fo- 
cuses it, and applies it. Metaphorically speaking, it was 
round when it entered, square when it came out. It was 
in chunks when appropriated, in fine sinuous form when 
it was disgorged. When a man thinks for himself, even 
though he may have ideas that are almost facsimiles of 
the ideas of another, and even though he may express 
them in almost identical language, this, unless he has in- 
tentionally compared or omitted the thought and verbal 
construction, is not plagiarism. The question then re- 
currs, "what is plagiarism?" It is to take a sermon or a 
speech as a whole and deliver it verbatim et literatim, 
without giving credit to the author. It is to take the 
sketch or outline of a sermon and use it, filling in your 
own matter, unless it is stated that the framework is from 
the hands and brains of its constructor. I am of the 
opinion that extemporaneous preachers are not tempted 
to purloin others' sermonic matter to the same extent as 
those who write out their sermons in full and read the 
same. The reason for this is that they are compelled by 
their very method of preparation and delivery to think 
more for themselves. The others become accustomed to 
insert whole sentences and paragraphs from other writers 
into their own compositions. It is charitable to suppose 
that they forget to put the quotation marks around them, 
or give due credit to them when delivered. Not always 
though; for it is certainly alarming to what an extent 
literary theft has been practiced by men of the craft. Only 
a few months ago a celebrated doctor of divinity preached 
a sermon belonging to another D.D. taken from a printed 
volume. He was detected, and gibbeted by the press. It 
has been reported that the pulpit of one of the First 
Churches of an inland city of the State of New York 
being vacant, two of the candidates preached identically 
the same sermon. 

181 



Undoubtedly the story of the licentiate who preached 
before the presbytery a fine sermon on trial is familiar to 
some of my readers. When he had retired that his case 
might be considered, a brother arose and said, "the ser- 
mon was a masterpiece, but, it was not the young man's 
own production, for I myself have seen it and read it in a 
printed book of sermons. " The young man was sent for, 
confronted with the facts, acknowledged their correct- 
ness, but added, "I heard this sermon preached by the 
brother who objects now to its being preached to me. I 
was so impressed with it that I concluded to preach it at 
this time." No record is made of what was done with 
the older minister, but the younger one was dropped, and 
so should the older have been likewise. Great care then 
needs to be exercised at this point. Do not see how near 
you can come to this danger line, but how far you can 
keep away from it. I have heard of a preacher who 
bought a volume of printed sermons and began to preach 
them in order and in general outline. When expostulated 
with, he tartly replied. that he had bought the sermons, 
and now could do what he pleased with them, because 
they were his own. A strange kind of ownership this ! 
It is sometimes legitimate and proper for one preacher to 
take the same text and subject in preaching a sermon as 
some other preacher may have selected and used before 
him. But even when he does this it would be best that he 
should do so only when the subject is a scriptural or the- 
ological one. In such a case, both preachers came at it 
indirectly, or directly, from the Word of God. But even 
this should be done charily, and with great caution, cir- 
cumspection and conscientiousness. 

It seems to be generally conceded that in using mat- 
ter from standard authors, and particularly when the ci- 
tation is familiar, it is not necessary to give credit in pub- 
lic discourse. For example, in quoting from Longfel- 
low's "Psalm of Life," or Bryant's "Thanatopsis," or one 

182 



of Shakespeare's tritest sayings, it is supposed that their 
authors will be instinctively and instantly recognized 
without their names being mentioned. The same remark 
holds true of proverbs, and fables, and apothegms. In 
these last instances, it would puzzle a wiser than Solomon' 
to say who first wrote them. 

The practice of the Rev. John Wesley as outlined in 
the preface to the first volume of his printed sermons 
regarding the use of knowledge is to be commended. 
"My design," he tells us, "is, in some sense, to forget all 
that ever I have read in my life. I mean to speak, in 
the general, as if I had never read one author, ancient 
or modern (always excepting the inspired). I am per- 
suaded that on the one hand this may be a means of en- 
abling me more clearly to express the sentiments of my 
heart, while I simply follow the chain of my own thought, 
without entangling myself with those of another man, 
and that on the other I shall come with fewer weights 
upon my mind, with less of prejudice and prepossession, 
either to search for myself, or to deliver to others the 
naked truths of the Gospel." The position taken in this 
excerpt I believe to be the best for the man of God to 
occupy, both as a student and as a minister. Meddle with 
all knowledge from all quarters. Let it become thor- 
oughly assimilated, and then present it in the peculiar 
mould of his own mentality and the rhetorical structure 
of his own style. 

Before leaving this most interesting and important 
topic, I desire to insert a few words from the inimitable 
Simpson. They are as follows : "The materials collected 
should be thoroughly digested; they should be trans- 
formed and transmuted into one's current thought. In 
this way, the individual's performance will be original in 
its character and in its structure, and will be enriched 
with thoughts and illustrations of beauty and grandeur 
which shall give to it a higher character and greater force. 

183 



This will not be plagiarism, for it is not the simple use or 
quotation of another man's work, but, like the stream 
whose own channel, making its own music as it goes. We 
coin few new words. The greatest inventors create no 
material, they simply place in new relations what has 
been already known. " Think out what you speak, or 
write, or read, even though it may not seem to you as 
chaste, vigorous, or superb as that which someone else 
may have written or spoken. Its compensation lies in the 
fact that it is your own, and not another's. This is com- 
pensation enough to the truely independent and consci- 
entious man. Such an one will never answer to the pic- 
ture limned by Cowper, when he asks : 
"Is it like? Like whom? 
The things that mount the rostrum with a skip, 
And then skip down again ; pronounce a text ; 
Cry -hem ; and reading what they never wrote 
Just fifteen minutes, huddle up their work, 
And with a well-bred whisper close the scene !" 

The gravest and greatest peril which confronts min- 
isters generally is the infatuation of woman's charms. 
This is peculiarly true of youngerly and unmarried men. 
They find that mothers have marriageable daughters, and 
that the daughters themselves know they are marriage- 
able. There will be coquetting and rivalry on the part of 
both mothers and daughters to capture the young 
domine. Unless he is wary and wise, he will find himself 
in a silken mesh which will as effectually bind him as the 
coarser and stronger strands of a hempen cord. Paul's 
advice to Timothy, under like circumstances is, "Treat 
the elder women as mothers, the younger as sisters, with 
all purity." Pattern after this precept and you will not 
sustain loss of reputation or influence among your people. 
Disregard it and you cannot prevent either. Be careful 
about trifling with the feelings of your fair parishioners. 
Should you discover that you are raising hopes by your 

184 



attentions to anyone of them which you do not intention- 
ally plan to originate and consummate, discontinue them 
at once. Never be guilty of making love to a number of 
"bellae feminae" Should you desire to become the fiance 
of some fair maiden be manly and open in your advances 
to her. But always have a practical side to your affection, 
and let it, if within your power, center upon someone who 
will be a real help-meet to you in your chosen profession. 

Not only, however, are the youngerly men entangled 
at times by the entrancing and winning graces of the fair 
sex, but it happens (not frequently, thank God) that min- 
isters of accredited wisdom and ability so far forget them- 
selves, as to be overcome by beastly sensuality, make de- 
bauches of themselves, and bring their brethren into ill- 
repute. Right here, "let him that thinketh he standeth 
take heed, lest he fall." And for this reason, there are so 
many ways by which a man's downfall is brought about 
that he may be tottering to the fall before he knows it. 
David's sin is not extinct in David's priestly line. Not- 
withstanding, no extenuation or exoneration is offered for 
it here. Whenever this transgression is committed the 
culprit should be exposed and punished. This should be 
done to vindicate the purity of the ministry and the sanc- 
tity of the church of God. 

In writing on "The Evil Deeds of Ministers," Dr. 
Buckley — after referring to jealousy which led a Southern 
negro preacher to shoot fatally another colored preacher 
— with his usual outspoken positiveness, justly declares: 
"When ministers commit crime the last plea that should 
be entertained in their behalf is the nature of their pro- 
fession. Violators of the law should be tried, acquitted 
or condemned, without distinction of creed, cassock, or 
race." Ministerial crimes are certainly increasing in num- 
ber, and it behooves all denominations to co-operate for 
the purity of the ministry. All organized communions 
should exercise a strict discipline, and conscientious lay- 

185 



men should allow no scandal to arise concerning their 
pastors, and no suspicious conduct to pass unnoticed. 
Whatever be the true translation, the English version of 
the passage, "Abstain from all appearances of evil" is 
safe, and the only safe rule for the Christian's practice; 
and it is vital to the minister's influence not only that he 
should be above suspicion but that he should be able 
to resist that subtlest of all temptations, "No one will be- 
lieve evil of me" — a suggestion as beguiling as "Ye shall 
not surely die." 

Beware of the fair callers who come to the parsonage 
alone and after dusk, but are afraid to return home alone. 
Do not admit any such to your study. If they wish to see 
you privately receive them in your parlor. In your rela- 
tions with women avoid the very appearance of silly fond- 
ness or over familiarity. Be chary in your intercourse 
with them and circumspect in your conversation. Shun 
the coquette and the flirt. It may needs be that occa- 
sion will arise when you will be compelled to manifest 
a brusqueness and rudeness which almost amount to un- 
gentlemanliness. If your reputation is at stake you should 
not hesitate to do so. Better be divested for a time of this 
grace than your good name, which is better than anything 
which can be compared to it. 

Some most painful instances have come under my 
observation where much damage has been done the cause 
of Christ by the indiscretion of its chief exponents. Such 
as for example where ministers have carried in their 
buggy the organist, or chorister, back and forth to the 
afternoon or evening church service. Where preachers, 
under the pretext that it was stormy and dark, have re- 
mained all night at the homes of widows, when their own 
homes perhaps have not been a mile away. Where, after 
church, the fair admirers of the pastor have tarried with 
him in the church for a tete-a-tete. Such conduct shows 
a lack of thought, a want of discretion, and a carelessness 

186 



well nigh amounting to criminality. Under such circum- 
stances no wonder gossip and scandal and calumny 
spread. The marvel would be if they did not, in view of 
the actions of those who furnish such prolific causes on 
which to base them. The above acts may be perfectly 
harmless and innocent in themselves, nevertheless they 
will give rise to uncanny comments, damaging remarks, 
and sometimes are the sure forerunners of a fall. It is 
sad to read occasionally in the public prints of some in the 
sacred office who have totally forgotten themselves, given 
way to their animal propensities, yielded to temptation, 
and made a shipwreck for 'both worlds. Alas ! that there 
should be any. There will be fewer in time to come if 
the broad hints here given are duly considered and 
heeded. 

Avoid debt as you would plague. Make no purchases 
unless you are able to pay cash, is generally one of the 
best maxims to follow. It is preferable to do without 
some articles than to become involved financially in ob- 
taining them. If one never buys anything unless he abso- 
lutely needs it, he will ordinarily be able to keep within his 
income. Bear in mind that nothing is cheap unless you 
must have it. Do not be tempted to make a purchase 
simply because it seems to you to be a bargain from a 
commercial standpoint, when as measured by your re- 
quirements it may be decidedly expensive. If you cannot 
afford a servant get along without one. Should you be 
unable to keep a horse for family and parish purposes, try 
walking. It is expected that of all men who will leave 
bills unpaid, ministers are the last. Notwithstanding it 
is said of some of them that they owe everybody in the 
community. When this is the case the cause of religion 
is greatly retarded. Any man of whom this may be truth- 
fully averred is standing in the way of sinners. It will be 
more by good luck than by good management if he does 
not become one, if to be in debt is sinful. Of this there 

187 



is no doubt in some instances. Observe the apostalic 
rule and "owe no man anything/' Be not a borrower 
unless you intend to pay back again. This is what some 
so-called men do not, and thus immerse themselves in 
debt and obloquy. When leaving one town to take 
charge of a church in another, be sure and settle up little 
bills. If you must owe anyone, it is better to owe one 
person than twenty. These observations may seem im- 
practicable of observance. Sometimes it may be found 
that they are. Shortages in salary, extravagance in living 
and dressing, sickness and financial losses may interdict 
and prevent their being carried into effect. These causes 
furnish the exceptions. By practicing economy, by being 1 
scrupulously honest in business relations, by excluding 
the luxuries, and being contented with the necessaries, it 
will be within the possibilities of preachers in general to 
pay as they go. 

In doing so, due care needs to be exercised that they 
become neither impecunious nor parsimonious. To be a 
close figurer in all business transactions is better than to 
be embarrassed by debt. The inference is not that you are 
to barter or "go on tick" in making your bargains. Ask 
the price of the article, and if you think that it is a fair 
one and within your means pay it and take the article. If 
not, leave it without making any comments. You are to 
be an example unto your flock in liberality as well as in 
charity and the other Christian graces. Hence because 
you are a pastor you are not excused from giving unto 
the Lord according as he hath prospered you. It must 
be apparent that precept will not always answer in the 
matter of raising church finances and the benevolent col- 
lections. Give yourself and utge the members of your 
family to give at the same time you urge others. Never 
pretend to give by subscribing and say you did it to 
prompt someone else, but you wish to be excused from 
paying it. This is a false pretense and beneath the ethics 

188 



of men of the world, much more men with high moral 
standards. Stinginess is not compatible with Christian- 
ity. It makes the churl liberal, it opens hearts and homes 
and purses when it enters. Let its influence be broadly 
and blandly exemplified and exhibited in you. 

A continuation of this theme leads me to inveigh for 
a moment against a kindred evil. It is sometimes labelled 
"cousining," or more expressively sponging. It mani- 
fests itself in asking for clergyman's discounts, half-rate 
permits, and free passes. It is the mendicant spirit of 
the friars of the middle ages which still lingers among us. 
In some quarters it is becoming obsolete. Many self-re- 
specting members of the profession discountenance it, 
while the persons who have been in the habit of extending 
such favors are beginning to regard the clergy as equally 
able to pay for what they receive as any other class of 
men. Thus a pressure is being brought to bear from all 
sides which will, I trust, lead to a reform in this matter. 
Should it be the custom of merchants and according to 
the regulations of corporations to make a discount or a 
rebate to ministers, and they should extend these cour- 
tesies gratuitously to you, it is not discreditable for you 
to receive them, but never at the expense of your man- 
hood, your independence, or self-respect. If Jonah, the 
runaway prophet, paid his fare, you ought to pay yours. 

In traveling, either for pleasure or on business, do 
not go to your ministerial brother's for entertainment 
unless he knows you are coming and should give you an 
urgent invitation to be his guest. Be fraternal and if time 
permit call and see him, but give him to understand that 
you are not present to encroach upon his hospitality, but 
out of respect for him go to the hotel and pay your way 
like a man, or stay at home and put your feet under your 
own table. About all the use some country domines have 
for their brethren in the larger towns and cities is to utilize 
them as caterers and hostlers. Here they find provender 

189 



for themselves and beasts free gratis. A quarter of a dol- 
lar would save the parson's larder and the parson's wife 
a depletion and expletion, which to him and his spouse 
are worth twice that amount in worry and inconvenience. 

There is an old proverb which reads : "Self-commen- 
dation is no recommendation. " Its teaching is frequently 
ignored by all classes of men. There is a natural desire 
which scientifically may be called instinct in most public 
men, which makes them pleased to be noticed and praised. 
The man in the pulpit is no exception to this. He likes to 
have someone speak well of him and his efforts. Also to 
insert in the local or church paper occasionally a write-up 
concerning his church and its enterprising pastor. He 
will gladly be interviewed by the reporter. A hint is suffi- 
cient to call forth for publication an abstract of a great 
sermon recently preached, data of increasing resources 
and large congregations. Kept within proper bounds all 
this may be legitimate and commendable. Give this ten- 
dency leash enough and it will run to extremes. It will 
not be satisfied with a mere notice once in awhile of actual 
facts. It will seek to be continually in print. It will lead 
to eulogistic and egotistic remarks which savor of self- 
conceit and self-aggrandizement. Sometimes, w r hen the 
news cannot be furnished the editor through any other 
channel, the pastor will himself become the medium. 
Then it is that he sings his own song, and puffs and in- 
flates himself. And he will, at times, exalt himself and the 
work under his care much to the disparagement of his 
predecessor. This, on the principle that he cares not who 
sinks if he only swims. 

This puffing of preachers and churches by lay admir- 
ers and the occupants of the pulpits themselves has some- 
times amounted to a perfect fad in this country. Let us 
be thankful that it now seems to be on the wane. Totter- 
ing fences will require buttressing, so do tottering 
churches. When the local or church paper contains a 

190 



gushing account of how Dr. All-right is speaking as man 
never spake, drawing multitudes and booming the finan- 
ces, look out. An inflation nearly always goes before a 
collapse. In church matters the second usually follows 
close upon the heels of the first. Should others desire 
to speak well of ypti, or write laudatory words concern- 
ing you and your work without your personal solicitation, 
accept them with becoming humility. But never puff 
yourself. "Let another praise thee, but not thine own 
mouth, a stranger and not thine own lips." 

Next to declining the writing of eulogies for one- 
self and his church is that of writing testimonials for 
others. Out of the natural goodness of their hearts, the 
desire to be helpful, and speak kind words to others, some 
preachers have been led astray in writing letters of intro- 
duction and recommendations of character. There is no 
mark of "greenings" so conspicuous as the glaring and 
gusliing encomiums that they w r rite about men, books, 
organs, nostrums, patent medicines, and countless other 
articles too numerous to mention. Their names are on the 
advertisement sheets of newspapers, pamphlets and 
books. Not only so, but in these days they allow the 
photographer to vie with the chirographer and throw 
their picture in in the bargain. When a lad I remember 
having read this wise saw r , from whose pen I know not, 
neither is it material, namely: "Fools names like fools 
faces are always seen in public places." A severe stric- 
ture, doubtless, and yet, with some qualifications, never 
truer than today. We have struck a puffing age with a 
picture craze attending it. The two together are almost 
too much for the vanity of some of the clericals, but are 
viewed as comparatively worthless appendages by the 
shrewd man of business. The name of Rev. attached to 
any commodity with the physiognomy of the man who 
bears it are no longer regarded in the mercantile world as 
credentials of a superior article. They are considered to 

191 



be unmistakable marks of conceited men who are longing 
for notoriety, and can come at it in no other way than 
by writing recommendations and presenting simulta- 
neously their pictures for anything that may be put upon 
the market, all the way up from a pill to a tract of land 
containing thousands of acres. 

The persons in whose interests, financially or other- 
wise, these advertisements are sent forth, know that there 
is no other class of men who can be so easily induced to 
comply with their requests for favorable representation. 
They never apply to lawyers and seldom to doctors. Oh, 
no, they know better than that. The people will listen 
to the preachers ! Yes, for a while they have. Now they 
are no longer gulled and duped by them. They may ac- 
cept from their lips the Gospel as truth, but no longer 
what they say or write about patent medicines and desir- 
able city lots. Withhold your autograph and photograph 
from any paper which claims to be advertising anything 
which purports to heal all the diseases to which flesh is 
heir, or to give unprecedented bargains for the money, or 
that will make one as rich as Croesus in a few years. 

Worrying is another common mistake which many 
make. Somehow the thought seems to possess us that in 
proportion to our worry will be our effort and success. 
Hence the anxiety felt as the sabbath draws near. The 
solicitude before the sermon and the recrimination after 
its delivery. The fear that what should be said will be left 
unsaid, and that which we intended not to say we have 
said. Preachers not only worry over their sermons but 
over their work among their people, and the interests of 
the church, until, if they are not watchful, they become 
loaded with cares and anxieties that stifle peace and pre- 
vent rest. Sometimes, in spite of the most herculean ef- 
forts and faithful parochial work, the church seems to be 
declining in interest, power and numbers. The causes 
may be seen and known, or they may not. Removals by 

192 



change of residence, death and disaffection may account 
for this decline. Or some new departure or taking ser- 
vice. Whatever they are, this condition of affairs frets 
the vigilant and devoted shepherd. 

Then there is the worrying connected with a change 
of pastorate, the precariousness and paucity of one's in- 
come. The fear of becoming unacceptable and in conse- 
quence being retired before one's time. In view of all 
these and many other causes which lead to worrying and 
fretfulness, our daily prayer should be for hopefulness, 
cheerfulness, and trustfulness. Fret not thyself against 
evil doers, neither against those who should be doers of 
good, but do it not. These are often a more prolific 
source of worryment to the pastor than the others. No 
"do not fret thyself in any wise." Do not let your work, 
in whole or in part, master you or drive you. Rather 
the converse, which leads to placidity, tranquility, and 
freedom from corroding care. 

This chapter on "Beacons of Warning" would be in- 
complete if I should fail to warn you against one of the 
most destructive which threatens the brain worker. This 
is seeking from stimulants and narcotics exhileration and 
recuperation when worn out, and weary with mental toil. 
Among the most common are tea and coffee, beer and 
spirits, tobacco and drugs. For the sake of doing better 
and more protracted thinking and composing, some lit- 
terati in all departments have resorted to one or more of 
these stimulants and narcotics. It is on record that some 
persons have taken twenty cups of strong tea or coffee 
to keep them awake, and spur their jaded mentality. 
Others have resorted to snuff-taking, tobacco chewing 
and smoking. Still others to ale and wine. And others 
still to drugs of various names and powers. And yet the 
notion that a little wine, or alcoholic liquor of some kind 
will help a person to do better brain work has long since 
been exploded. Crabbe punctured this bubble in his lines 

running thus: 

193 



"With wine inflated, man is all upblown, 
And feels a power which he believes his own ; 
With fancy soaring to the skies, he thinks 
His all the virtues all the while he drinks; 
But when the gas from the balloon is gone, 
When sober thoughts and serious cares come on, 
Where then the worth that in himself he found? 
Vanished — and he sinks grov'ling on the ground. " 

Numerous are the men who have adverted to these 
brain excitants and exhilerants. Among the pulpiteers 
of ability, Pastor Spurgeon has been reported as saying 
that he could "smoke a cigar to the glory of God," and 
strenuously defending the habit. The Rev. Robert Hall 
and some other pulpit lights have indulged in the weed. 
So have many in former years both in America and Eng- 
land in the use of ales and spirits. And many, alas ! have 
been the wrecks, physical and mental, which have result- 
ed from their use. The time has come when physiology, 
cleanliness, temperance and religion combine their forces 
with tremendous and unyielding prestige, against the use 
of any of these or others which might be cited. There is 
further a growing sentiment which demands that preach- 
ers shall neither touch, taste, nor handle those things 
which defile and make unclean the temple of the body. 
This public sentiment is making itself felt to such an ex- 
tent that in the ordination service of preachers in some of 
the churches, the question is being asked the candidates 
if they will wholly abstain from the use of tobacco. The 
local church boards are also asking before they call men 
to take charge of the flock, whether they use tobacco or 
liquors. If so, they decline to extend the call. 

The medical side of this subject is giving its support 
to the moral side. Dr. Lio Lewis, speaking in the name 
of "physical trainers," declares that "a long experience 
has taught the fraternity of trainers that tobacco is an 
enemy to muscle, and a still greater enemy to nerve tone 

194 



and endurance." Alcohol in any form is deleterious to 
the brain. It paralizes the cerebrum much more quickly 
than it does the cerebellus. Consequently, it dethrones 
the intelligence and moral nature, and gives loose rein 
to the appetites and passions. For this very reason we 
see that the bibulous among the novelists, poets, essay- 
ists, historians, and even the clericals, have all in their 
writings magnified the sensuous and at times the sensual. 
Instance Burns, Byron, Keats, Lamb, Goldsmith, Swift 
and Logan. The last, Rev. John Logan, author of the 
"Cuckoo/' and many hymns and sacred paraphrases, 
sought relief from melancholy in the solace of drink. On 
one occasion he went into the pulpit drunk. His end 
was hastened by dissipation. Sometimes, in cases of in- 
somnia drugs are employed, such as chloral, cocaine, and 
opium. These mean dearth or death in the end. Hence 
do not use them unless by the advice of a physician and 
under his direction. But as smoking and imbibing seem 
to be the most prevalent forms in which narcotics and 
stimulants present themselves to the clergy, the following 
account, taken from a memoir of a learned divine will be 
appropriate : 

The Rev. Robert Hall learnt to smoke in the com- 
pany of Dr. Parr, who was a profound scholar as well 
as a thinker. A friend one day found the preacher blow- 
ing an immense cloud of smoke and looking surprised, 
Hall said, "O, I am only qualifying myself for the society 
of a Doctor of Divinity, and this (holding up his pipe) is 
my test of admission." A member of his congregation 
expostulated with him as to the injuriousness of the 
habit, and left with him a copy of Dr. Adam Clarke's 
pamphlet, "On the Use and Abuse of Tobacco/' with the 
request that he would read it. In a few days Mr. Hall 
returned it with the remark, 'Thank you, sir, for Dr. 
Clarke's pamphlet, I cannot refute his arguments, and 
I cannot give up smoking." He was more vehement in 

195 



his denunciation of brandy. A minister of his own de- 
nomination, too much addicted to its use, said to him one 
day: "Friend Hall, I will thank thee for a glass of brandy 
and water." "Call it by its right name," was the reply, 
"ask for a glass of liquid fire, and distilled damnation, 
and you shall have a gallon." The man turned pale and 
seemed for a time struggling with anger. At last he 
stretched out his hand and said, "Brother Hall, I thank 
thee from the bottom of my heart." From that time he 
ceased to take brandy and water. 

Beloved, these are some of the dangers that confront 
us. Let us seek to avoid them, one and all, from the least 
to the greatest. Any one of them will be like the dead 
fly in the precious ointment, which will cause it to give 
forth an unsavory smell. Or like the rift in the lute which 
will turn the sweetest harmony into the most doleful dis- 
cord. Let there be spots on the sun, if it must be so, but 
let there be none on us to mar our moral beauty and de- 
tract from our usefulness in the Lord's service. Should 
there be, we not only give an occasion for a railing accu- 
sation to be brought against us, but likewise for the pessi- 
mistic conclusion of the ancient philosopher — to be pro- 
nounced correct — when he said, "Nihil est ab omnia, 
parte beatum" — there is nothing from among all things 
that is more than partly perfect. 



196 



CHAPTER X. 



QUASI-CLERICAL SIDE TRACKS. 



"Beacons of warning" suggest "side tracks." To be 
more liberal and less figurative we should say "side is- 
sues." We, however, prefer the metaphorical form which 
heads this chapter, even though at intervals the metaphor 
may not be quite as apparent as a strict rhetorical con- 
struction would demand. It is certainly more striking 
and more forcible and consequently more desirable. 
Some of the deviations noted here might with almost 
equal propriety have been included in the preceding 
chapter, except that some of them are looked upon as 
legitimate and co-relatives of the ministerial profession. 
But while this is true, others are both incongruous and 
illegitimate to persons engaged in the gospel ministry. 
Therefore, among the side tracks which will be pointed 
out are those which may be termed "parallel lines." These 
will be found to diverge gently from the main track, but 
usually converge further on. There are others which are 
distinctively divergent. These run off from the main cler- 
ical line and seldom coradiate again. Switches to both 
are numerous and lie invitingly open all about us. To 
enter them and run upon the tracks to which they lead 
will be to traverse other lines and reach other termini than 
those originally designated and scheduled in the table of 
our ordination vows. 

For men who are called of God to preach the Gospel 
there ought to be but one principal aim. and that should 
be to go forward in their ministry. Nothing in the way 
of pleasurable diversion, mental or manual pursuits, 

197 



should for any consecutive length of time be permitted to 
deflect them therefrom. They should neither permit 
themselves, nor others, to side track or "stall" them. For 
a stalled train on the main track is as inoperative, so far 
as locomotion and progress in the right direction are con- 
cerned, as is a train on a side-track. Not only should 
they seek to keep on the trunk line, but they should re- 
gard it from the beginning as a through line. When they 
once start thereon it should be with the intention of com- 
ing to the end of the road. All along they will perceive 
open switches, sidings, and byway stations. To run into 
the one, and onto the other, or stop at the third, will be 
as easy, and perhaps will appear to be as proper, as to 
remain on the track and move forward. Indeed, to do the 
latter often means limitation, a straight course and a 
rough, hard road bed. But it likewise means a reaching 
of the terminus for which one set out, and this is a con- 
summation much to be desired. 

It may be recalled by some with what pleasure they 
have stood and looked upon some panting railroad engine 
which has drawn them across a State or a continent. And 
as they have thought how it has plunged through the val- 
leys, tunneled the hills and crossed the rivers without be- 
ing side-tracked, stalled or derailed by the way, they have 
been filled with admiration and almost unconsciously 
made obeisance to it. It had done nobly and well, and had 
reached its destination without any casualty. How much 
more admiration does the minister of the Word deserve 
who finishes his course with joy ! Who, notwithstanding 
the various side stations and easy turning off places, not 
to say jumping-off places, pushes forward along the main 
line upon which he started and comes to the end still on 
the track. So much for the figure, although we shall turn 
to it again and again. 

Let us continue by noticing that the minister is to be 
a man of one work. He must continually remind himself 

198 



that he is not to seek for a division of laibor in the sense 
that any other pursuit is to share equally with his pastoral 
labors. His motto should be : "This one thing I do." It 
was by adopting this and carrying it into effect that Paul 
became the great preacher and apostle. By following it 
he was able to make full proof of his ministry. If in the 
early Christian church, under a common regime, the early 
teachers and preachers of the church refused to serve 
tables, how much more in these days should those who 
occupy a like position in the modern church decline to 
take upon themselves that which would lessen their power 
to preach Christ and Him crucified. Concentration is as 
much in demand at this point as consecration. Indeed, it 
is questionable if the latter can exist without the former 
in those who are called to this special work. To be di- 
verted from this one purpose and pursuit is to be a tyro, 
a novice, and a journeyman, and not a master workman. 
It is not simply poetic fervor which breathes itself forth 
in the lines of Doddridge, as he sings : 

" 'Tis not a cause of small import, 
The pastor's care demands ; 
But what might fill an angel's heart, 
And fill a Saviour's hands." 

But the conviction that to do well the work which 
was committed to him demands the co-operation and uni- 
fication of all his ransomed powers. 

It must remain true to men in the holy office as of 
men in the various trades and professions, that to be a 
"jack of all" is to be master of none; hence there should 
be no such thing as "jacking it" — as we may expressively 
but perhaps not very elegantly phrase it — known among 
them. Therefore, give thyself wholly to this one work — 
thy time, thy strength and thy ability. Let everything 
else go if need be that thy efficiency may appear here It 
is with this end in view that some of the great branches 

199 



of the Church are requiring men to enter into a covenant 
relation in which they solemnly promise that they will 
keep themselves unto this one work. This is right and 
should become a general custom. It will foe found that 
nowhere is a diversity of interests so inimicable to the 
accomplishment of the principal object as in the ministry. 
It is not common to find business men succeeding in sev- 
eral departments of trade of a diverse nature. Neither is 
it usually so with a minister. The man who does so, if he 
should not make a botch of preaching, often fails to attain 
the high water mark of proficiency in the delivery of his 
message from week to week. The reflex influence, like- 
wise, of these engagements, pursuits, and diversions upon 
his own character is such as to militate against him minis- 
terially in the long run. 

While it will be conceded that it is pertinent to in- 
veigh against a diversion from ministerial pursuits, by 
taking up some of minor importance along with them, 
but totally different in nature, here is the place to accen- 
tuate the fact that indolence, or "slowing down," is equal- 
ly reprehensible. It may be preferable for preachers to 
have some dignified side issues than that they be re- 
miss in the performance of their professional duties. This, 
on the principle that they are moving with some purpose 
in the one case, and in the other are liafole to come to a 
standstill, if they have not already done so. For them 
to sit around in the store, and other places of rendezvous 
all the week, or to listlessly con over the newspapers or 
fish, hunt and play croquet, and then expect the Lord, 
when Sunday comes, to furnish them with a message and 
supply them with thought and language appropriate to its 
delivery, is to certainly get off the main track. It will be 
fortunate if they do not find themselves hopelessly and 
helplessly derailed. And yet there are ministers who thus 
fritter away their time. They furnish some of the most 
striking examples extant of arrested development. They 

!) 1 ^ 200 



slow down and cease studying, either because of a satis- 
fied feeling of sufficiency, or from a lack of an exalted 
ideal, or from downright mental laziness. Some of them 
have discovered what all brain workers sooner or later 
discover, namely: The accuracy of Solomon's dictum — 
that "Much study is a weariness of the flesh. " Because it 
is they content themselves with the progress that they 
have made, and the positions of place and power in the 
Church of God they have attained. Many of them would 
doubtless be like the domine of whom the following pithy 
story is told : He was a mentally lazy and shiftless fellow, 
spending his time anywhere and everywhere except in his 
workshop among his books. Having committed some of- 
fense which made him amenable to the civil law, and on 
account of which he was momentarily expecting arrest, 
expressed his fear of not being able to find a place of hid- 
ing to one of his friends. It so happened that this man 
was a Quaker, and he, with the plain straightforwardness 
for which the Quakers are noted, said : "Friend, thee hast 
no need of fear. I can tell thee where thou canst hide, 
and where no one will ever think of looking for thee." 
When eagerly asked where it was, the old Quaker quaint- 
ly answered, "In thee stoody." 

The strongest temptation at this juncture arises fre- 
quently from the possession of an abundance of sermonic 
material. To use the trite saying, such men have only to 
turn their barrels of sermons upside down and use from 
the opposite end every time they make a change of pas- 
torates. Now the changing of parishes should be an in- 
centive to new and better work, rather than one which 
leads to a reliance upon what has already been done in 
the way of sermon preparation. Long pastorates have 
this in their favor among other benefits — to those who 
are fortunate enough to enjoy them — they spur men up- 
ward and onward. They do not furnish the same abun- 
dant opportunities for a re-hashing of old material as 

201 



shorter pastorates do. Still, as much depends upon the 
man as upon the circumstances. Shirks are found in all 
walks and spheres of life. When one desires after a few 
years in the active pastorate, especially under an itinerant 
system, he can, if he is so constituted, rely on his former 
pulpit preparation, while under other polities other sub- 
terfuges are resorted to, such as a new text for an old 
sermon, or the dove-tailing together of two or more sec- 
tions taken bodily from their respective wholes. In pass- 
ing I may here make another point in favor of the extem- 
poraneous method. It fosters constant application and 
discourages indolence. It does not furnish the preacher 
with a mass of cut and dried matters. Beware of settling 
down satisfied with your previous attainments. Push for- 
ward. 

For the sake of perspicuity and clearness I deem it 
best to invite attention now to some branches which, per- 
haps, may be more specifically termed quasi-clerical lines, 
than some which have been given before and some which 
are to come after. These will be found to run side by 
side with the ministerial branch and in some instances 
are a part of the same system. Judging from St. Paul's 
enumeration given in his Epistle to the Ephesians, in the 
ministerial office there may be various grades. These 
differ according to the grace given unto them. His ex- 
act words are these : "And he gave some apostles, and 
some prophets, and some evangelists, and some pastors 
and teachers, for the perfecting of the saints, for the work 
of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ." 
From which it would appear that all these are depart- 
ments or branches of the work of the ministry. In these 
days these branches have been increased numerically and 
extended laterally. Moreover, it has seemed to many of 
us that in some instances they have been made convenient 
side tracks for slipping off the main ministerial line, when 
the road bed has become a little uneven and travel there- 

202 



on has become a little unpleasant and irksome. Hence it 
is becoming- exceedingly common and convenient for 
some men to leave the pulpit for the editor's sanctum, the 
professor's chair, or to become financial agents for literary 
institutions, to make lecture tours, or take up with author- 
ship and secretaryships. Or, if they remain in the pulpit 
to make ulterior objects the end of their ministry. They 
continue amid these varied pursuits to be known as min- 
isters, but make their preaching subservient to their other 
aims. 

There is no doubt in my mind that all these pursuits 
and aims are legitimate and proper in and of themselves. 
There is a question sometimes as to their propriety as 
ministerial functions per se. The most which can be said 
of them is that they are adjuncts to the ministry. And 
even this qualified statement is more applicable to some 
of them than it can be to others. It is my opinion that if 
preachers regarded the pastorate as the ideal function of 
the ministry, there would not be so many who are always 
found ready to leave it for professorships, editorships, 
secretaryships and authorship. Neither would they exalt 
the money raising function over and above the spiritual 
function of the pastorate. Far be it from me to reflect 
in any manner upon good men who have felt called to 
these positions. It is necessary that these sidings exist. 
But, would it not be better if they were made independent 
lines, and not easy switching curves for men called of God 
to the specific work of the ministry? I am fully convinced 
in my own mind that it would. At any rate, it will be well 
for men who feel that their life work is to preach the Gos- 
pel, and not to engage in any other work, to carefully 
ponder these things in their heart before turning aside 
therefrom to any other kindred profession. This view may 
be regarded as high church. If so, its palliation is found 
in the expectation of the people and the call to preach, 
which seem to be that the distinctive work of the min- 

203 



istry is the grandest and noblest vocation followed by 
men, that it is a life tenure, and not an office that is to be 
exchanged for any other, just because the other offers 
another kind of operation, more honor, salary, or leisure. 

Furthermore, it is only fair to say that to the preacher 
in rapport with his calling, the pulpit must always be re- 
garded as occupying a more exalted position than the 
platform of the lecturer, the tripod of the editor, the chair 
of the professor, or the desk of the author. And yet after 
one has served his apprenticeship in the ministry, he may 
see how he can enlarge his sphere of usefulness to his 
generation by authorship, or by having something to say 
on the passing topics of the day. He may be able to 
thunder from the platform, or stimulate and disseminate 
thought from the pedagogic's chair. Indeed, it is possi- 
ble that he will be able to increase his influence for good 
along numerous collateral lines. But, if he should make 
this discovery, let him keep in mind that the strength of 
his life and the concentrated powers of his being are to be 
devoted, not to these,, but to the exposition and enforce- 
ment of the "Word of God." These remarks are not to 
be construed into animadversions on the men or the pur- 
suits mentioned. They are intended rather to point out 
some of the places where these side tracks are. If they 
shall tend to lessen in time to come , that eagerness ob- 
servable in some ministers of to-day, to turn aside to any- 
thing and everything which is quasi-clerical, the end de- 
signed in penning them will be accomplished. 

I pass now to notice some of the most flagrant de- 
partures from the ministerial main line, the foremost of 
which in the present epoch is speculating in building lots, 
mining stock, and city shares. Onto one of these sidings 
have gone, metaphorically speaking, many a car of salva- 
tion. Men called to preach for no other reason than a 
desire to be rich, or a lust for filthy lucre, have deserted 
this high calling, in part or in whole, to engage in these 

204 



lower, and under some circumstances, lesser ones. Some- 
times when a preacher has lost his voice or has broken 
down physically or mentally, it may be opportune for him 
to engage in such pursuits, but not if he is qualified for 
the pulpit. According to a statement recently made by a 
celebrated bishop, "there is a young city in the West into 
which no minister of a certain denomination has gone for 
many years who has not slipped out of the pulpit into 
business." This state of affairs is lamentable. But we 
have not need to go out West to find these clerical boom- 
ers, they are notoriously conspicuous here in the East. 
Before the inflation of Western land and stock collapsed 
there was scarcely a ministerial body of any respectable 
size which did not furnish an example of these specu- 
lating domines. At one time they became almost as 
prolific as the frogs in Egypt, but they differed in this re- 
spect; the frogs in Egypt plagued the Egyptians, these 
plagued the people of God, both the laity and ministry 
alike. These men had farm mortagages, corner and 
city lots for sale, and watered stock of gold and silver 
mines at a discount. They took advantage of their min- 
isterial credentials to play upon the credulity of their par- 
ishioners and ministerial colleagues. Doubtless many 
readers of these lines were made to smart for 
their misplaced confidence. I shall not harrow their 
feelings by dilating further on their losses. The 
most serious phase of this whole matter was in 
the fact that to induce former parishioners to buy 
these reverend gentlemen falsified. They played upon the 
credulity and inexperience of the members of the church, 
they became land sharks, lost their ministerial character 
and brought reproach upon the Church of God. 

Another of the side tracks leads to political prefer- 
ment and office. When the devil cannot reach a preacher 
through his cupidity, and turn him out of the way, he 
will sometimes operate through his vanity. Consequently 

205 



there have been those who have been led to believe that 
their nomination for a political position — assemblyman, 
senator, governor, — without the least shadow of a suc- 
cessful election was cause sufficient to exchange the pul- 
pit for the stump. That there is a great temptation here 
to men who are fond of the arena and with a penchant for 
statesmanship is obvious. But these are not usually the 
men who yield to it. No, but rather the men with an 
itching palm and an egregious love of pomp. That a man 
cannot serve God in politics I would not affirm, or as a 
statesman, or in any other legitimate calling. I do not, 
however, hesitate to say that it is extremely questionable 
whether one who is engaged in the gospel ministry can 
serve God as efficiently in the political arena, as an office- 
seeker, as he can in following his own peculiar line of 
work. The two are too much for any one man, as Car- 
dinal Wolsey and lesser magnates of the Church have 
discovered to their sorrow. If any feel called to be re- 
formers by accepting a nomination to a political office, or 
desire to obtain a political plum, let them retire from the 
ministry, surrender their parchments, and take up the 
work for which they have so strong a predilection. This 
advice is to the point in these days when some divines 
regard a nomination on a so-called temperance or reform 
ticket as not being as grossly political as it would be on 
any other ticket, and further because some social and 
moral reforms are so near akin to the work of preaching 
the gospel. Nevertheless, the tickets, the candidates of 
such parties are strictly and conventionally political and 
partisan, and therefore do not differ from any other polit- 
ical candidates or parties or tickets in these respects. 

Secular fraternities are on every hand and frequently 
furnish easy sidings for ministers — coming as many of 
them do into close proximitywith them — especially in 
their social relations. On one or more of these they too 
often switch off before they realize it, and become 

206 



"jiners." This they do many times under the delusive 
hope of winning the members of these organizations to 
the Church; but the truth requires us to say that more 
generally they themselves are won over by them. When 
this is the case, they permit themselves to be elected 
chaplains, read the prescribed ritual of the order, devote 
their time and attention to its interests,, and sometimes 
manifest more enthusiasm for its success than they do for 
the church they serve. Some have even been known, in 
their ardor and zeal for the brotherhood, to exalt it pub- 
licly above the Church and to count themselves more 
honored by being among its chief promoters and man- 
agers than in being ministers of the gospel. It is not 
necessary to say here that in so doing they have exceeded 
their authority and prostituted their official prerogatives. 
When they do these things, it is usually because they re- 
gard it as a mark of distinguished honor to be dubbed 
"Sir" this or "Grand" something else. Or that they have 
had a mercenary object in view, as that the order will 
attend the donation or some other entertainment given 
for their benefit. Some preachers work this "lead" for 
all it is worth. In return they invite the fraternity to a 
service held for its special benefit in God's house and laud 
it to the very heavens. Simon Magus would blush at the 
way these men use their beneficies in return for the be- 
stowment of empty honors, buncombe and filthy lucre. 
Now, in view of these facts, which may be verified, 
every one, why should ministers unite themselves with 
these organizations, become the representatives of small 
coteries and lessen their general influence for good? 
Would it not be better for them, under all circumstances 
considered, not to league themselves with any? We are 
fully convinced that it would, although we are aware that 
this answer will not be entirely satisfactory to many of 
our clerical brethren. But we are lead to make it not be- 
cause of any crochet or prejudice, but after mature reflec- 

207 



tion. It may be buttressed by many weighty reasons, and 
we Ibelieve cannot be easily controverted. If a man is a 
Christian minister, then he is in possession of all that the 
best of these secular fraternities promise. He has a fel- 
lowship and brotherhood and >has an opportunity for do- 
ing good of every possible sort and all the honor one man 
can bear in being a King's Ambassador. True he may 
not find in the Church the Accidental and Life Insurance 
features which are sometimes offered as an excuse by 
ministers and others in becoming members of these 
orders. If not, he may obtain these securities in com- 
panies doing such business by direct contract without any 
circumlocution. 

He will also discover that among other reasons why 
some of these bodies 'desire ministers is, not that they 
may receive their godly counsel, or pattern after their 
godly example, but that the influence which these men 
of God have in the community may be used in inducing 
men who think well of this or that clergyman to unite 
with this or that lodge. Some of these organizations use 
ministers — as huntsmen use decoy ducks — to decoy 
others. And also, because if they should be members 
they will preach them annually a sermon, not for their 
spiritual edification but for the good of the order. To 
adcoimplish this they will make them honorary members 
and notify them afterwards. Or they will receive them 
minus the initiation fee, or having them, as they say, ride 
the goat. Or still further to induce them to cast in their 
lot with them, they will club together and pay their dues, 
or, by a vote, remit them. You must not be so unsophis- 
ticated as to believe that all this is done because, like the 
man in the Old Testament, these organizations want a 
"Levite for the priest/' By no means ; they rather, in too 
many instances, desire him for the reasons assigned 
above. 

Again, the Church of Christ is a divine institution. 

208 



These others are human. They spring up all around us 
like mushrooms. They are here today and gone tomor- 
row. But this abideth ever. If you are seeking that 
which is permanent, that which survives the rise and the 
downfall of empires and kingdoms, that which is to go 
on for all time, you have it, not in any outside organiza- 
tion, but in the Church. Hitch yourself to this as with 
everlasting cords, let others who have the disposition and 
are not called to such an exalted work as you are, take 
care of those which are human in their origin and tem- 
poral in their aim. Some distinctively benevolent or tem- 
perance guilds may expect your presence and influence. 
You may, if you do not wish to unite yourself to them in 
membership, give them your sympathy and cooperation. 
All these fraternities and bodies should come church- 
ward, and not the church or its official head go lodge- 
ward. Then by and by when it is seen that the mountain 
will not go to Mohammed, why Mohammed will possibly 
come to the mountain, and the kingdom of heaven, its 
righteousness and its ministers will be first as they should. 
Therefore, on the whole we would not advise extend- 
ing invitations to these outside organizations to attend 
divine service in a body. If you do they will come ex- 
pecting to hear from your lips words of adulation. They 
will look to you to set forth their special merits and to 
commend in highly eulogistic terms the salient features 
and work of the order. Should you fail to do so you will 
displease and not please. Should you do so, you assume 
the role of a special advocate or solicitor of the order. 
And not only so, but you take up the time of divine wor- 
ship in speaking of the excellent features of this or that 
lodge, when your Master should be set forth and the at- 
tractions of his earthly court emphasized. Should they, 
however, desire of their own accord to worship with you 
and your people, welcome them, see to their comfort, and 
preach to them a gospel full of helpfulness and hopeful- 
ness. 

209 



We regard the christian ministry as the highest order 
among men and the Church of Jesus Christ as the most 
exalted institution. Hence we feel no need of uniting with 
any other body outside its pale. Years ago the specious 
reasoning of the initiated and the hope of accomplishing 
something for Christ and His Church constrained some 
of us to become members of a few of these fraternities. 
We soon discovered, however, that we could do little in 
the direction desired and dropped out. Then we have 
learned that the preacher will have work enough and 
honor enough in being wedded to his Church and in per- 
forming the duties she imposes upon him. It gives us 
more freedom to look after the work committed into our 
hands and for study. It affords us leisure for those lesser 
and minor obligations which are self-imposed, and for the 
more onerous and exacting one also. Take heed to the 
Apostle's words then — if not to mine — and let "no man 
entangle himself with the affairs of this life, that he may 
please him who hath chosen him." 

In modern times enterprising book publishers, pat- 
ent medicine venders, musical instrument manufacturers, 
soap makers, and countless other firms have sought after 
and obtained men of the cloth as agents to canvass for 
their wares. They have said, "continue your work in the 
ministry, give us a little of your time and your influence, 
advertise and sell our goods for us, and we will pay you 
a commission. " After a while they have offered stated 
salaries and mirabile dictu some of these men have 
turned aside to engage in these trades, hoping to make 
themselves rich. In doing so, those of their number who 
have continued in the sacred office have become grossly 
secular. Their influence for good in the community has 
been minimized. They have become unacceptable to the 
flock they serve and undesirable to other parishes. As 
preachers their power has waned. They have become 
drugs in the market. Alas ! that this should be so. But 

210 



it is so, and must ever be so as long as there exists, in any 
sense, a distinctive difference between things secular and 
things spiritual ; and it does not seem possible in the pres- 
ent state of affairs that these distinctions will disappear. 
Whenever, therefore, men are enticed away from the work 
of God to enter upon more secular pursuits, it is usually 
evidence either that they were never called, or being 
called, they have forfeited their commission. In either 
instance it is better they should depart from us. 

It would be a great advantage if there could be a rule 
universally operative in the ministry of all the Churches 
to the effect that any man, except from sickness, who 
turns aside from the legitimate line of the pastorate shall 
be divested of ministerial prerogatives and be classified 
in his proper category. In the words of Dr. Parker, 
which are strikingly apposite in this connection, and 
which I fully endorse, "You are a minister not an author, 
you are a minister not a lecturer, you are a minister as 
was St. Paul ; be as devoted as he was to the Cross and 
Kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ. " How noble and 
glowing was the enthusiasm which said, "God forbid that 
I should glory save in the Cross of our Lord Jesus 
Christ" ! How resolute was the will which declared, "I 
determined to know nothing among men but Jesus Christ 
and Him crucified." Believe me, there is scope enough in 
the christian ministry to exhaust the fullest powers of 
any man ; no man who gives himself entirely to the work 
of the ministry has occasion to complain of too little to 
do. Let us then give our days to study, and our nights 
to prayer, endeavor to show ourselves able ministers of 
the New Testament. The work of the ministry becomes 
more exacting in its demands. I know not that I ever 
had so high an ideal of what a christian minister should 
be and of what christian preaching may be as I have 
today. "The pulpit will go down if the preacher goes 
down." The preacher will go down if he make anything 

211 



but preaching his main business and chief delight. 

Changing tracks, or leaving the main division of the 
ministry of one religious denomination for that of an- 
other is not uncommon. Ordinarily it will be found to 
conduce to the best order, lasting harmony, and greatest 
utility for preachers to continue not only in one work 
but under the same system. Should you start out on the 
Methodist, or Presbyterian, or Baptist, or Episcopal 
course, it will be found better all things considered for 
you to continue there. Unless you find yourself with a 
deep conviction that you made a mistake and that you 
are not on the right track, stay where you are. If it 
should be that you feel you cannot make the best time or 
draw as many souls to glory here as you could by mak- 
ing a change, it will be proper for you to make it. But 
be doubly sure of this before you begin shunting. The 
circumstances should be pressing. The course should be 
a bona -fide one. It should not be simply because you 
can obtain a larger compensation, or that you will be 
furnished with better accompaniments. Many a preacher 
like many a train has been derailed or telescoped in 
changing tracks. There are some men who never find 
one of the right gauge to suit them. The Methodist is 
too wide, and the Baptist too narrow; the Presbyterian 
too straight, and the Episcopalians too curved. They 
first try one and then another, until they run into the- 
osophy, spiritualism, moslemism, or some other ism. 
While care should be exercised not to jump one track 
for another at every curve and turn in the road, neverthe- 
less, as soon as you perceive that you cannot run on the 
scheduled time of the system you represent, get off it at 
once. In so doing, you are at liberty to switch on to 
another, providing you can find one to your liking. But 
never ridicule or denounce the one you have left. Speak- 
ing literally there is no more contemptuous act of which 
a clergyman can be guilty than to go out of the pale of 

212 



one ecclesiastical body into that of another, and as soon 
as he is nicely ensconced in the second, begin to speak 
disparagingly of the doctrine and polity of the one which 
he left. If you must make a change for conscience sake,, 
let it be effected with as little ringing of bells, blowing of 
whistles, and hissing of exhaust steam as possible. Many 
opportunities will be furnished and many inducements 
offered to make such a transfer. 

Finally, let your conversion, your convictions, and 
your call settle for you on what division of the Church 
your course lies. Get on it and keep on it. Shun all side- 
tracks, quasi-clerical and others, and go through to your 
destination. Stop not, till you come to the terminus. 
Then you shall receive the reward of a faithful minister 
of the Lord Jesus Christ. 



213 



CHAPTER XL 



THE BRIGHT LIGHT ON THE HEIGHTS. 



Success may properly be spoken of as the "bright 
light on the heights/' for while others lure downward to 
disaster, this charms and draws us upward and onward. 
It would be very strange then if ministers, like other men, 
should not desire to succeed in their work of faith and 
labors of love, in preaching the gospel to the inpenitent 
and in taking oversight of the flock they are to shepherd. 
It is comparatively easy to affirm a universal here, and 
say "all ministers have a laudaible desire for success. " 
Anyway I never knew one who could not and would not 
declare in the language of the eminent Scotch divine, 
Robert McCheyne, "I would rather beg my bread than 
preach without success." But what is ministerial success 
and how is it to be obtained? These questions have ever 
been found most difficult to answer. That it is not what 
some people take it to be, nor obtained as easily as is 
generally thought, should be obvious at a glance. Hence 
it is not to be estimated by any standards of what success 
is in other spheres of life. Nor is it necessarily in draw- 
ing the multitudes to hear one, nor in gathering about 
him the rich and the learned. Neither is it comprehended 
altogether in being scholarly or becoming popular. Nor 
again, in the advance made in rising from a lower to a 
higher grade of churches. These may or may not be 
marks of true success in the pastorate. That they fre- 
quently are cannot be denied. They are all desirable and 
in a qualified sense should be sought after. They may 
be, however, and sometimes are, the mere outward trap- 

214 



pings which are often regarded by the multitude as the 
indubitable insignia of good fortune. But crowded 
churches, large financial and social resources and a repu- 
tation for learning and pulpit power do not and cannot of 
themselves make a minister successful. 

It may briefly be said to consist in bringing to pass 
to the greatest degree consonant with one's environment 
those results for which the preacher has been ordained 
and set apart by God, among which may be mentioned 
the regeneration of the unregenerate, the edification and 
sanctification of the saints, the building up of the visible 
Church of God, and the bringing in of Christ's kingdom 
among men. He who accomplishes any or all of these 
results to the fullest extent of his ability, opportunities, 
and surroundings, is a success. And he is this whether 
he have many or few to hear him, whether he is scholarly 
or illiterate, popular or unpopular. Indeed it is compat- 
ible with true success in the ministry that it is being at- 
tained even when all outward and superficial marks are 
absent. The earthly ministry of Elijah, the Baptist, the 
Christ and the lesser evangelists of the gospel have clearly 
evidenced this fact. 

Much depends upon one's success in the ministry as 
in other spheres of human activity upon the personal 
equation. It was because Paul understood the impor- 
tance of this that he said to Timothy, "Take heed unto 
thyself." It will not be necessary for me to reiterate how 
essential a good physique, voice and presence are as ad- 
juncts. These qualifications are duly set forth and em- 
phasized in preceding chapters. It is the man as an 
organic whole, who is to be considered here. His in- 
dividuality, in its physical, mental and spiritual make-up. 
The man consecrated and set on fire with divine love. 
The man declaring his message as though it were evolved 
in its entirety from his own inner consciousness and ex- 
perience and at the same time backing it up with a "Thus 

215 



saith the Lord." All true preaching acquires a flavor, 
coloring and force from the personal character of the 
preacher. Hence, if he would have his message attended 
with power, and accomplish that whereunto it is sent, he 
will not fail to put his egoism into it. When this egoism 
is merged into the same person as was Paul's when he 
declared, "I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me," it 
will be seen how great is this consecrated and sanctified 
personal equation in the pulpit. Among those who have 
been greatest in the Christian priesthood were some who 
not only had a marked and unique personality, but who 
made it count for all it was worth in their ministry. Note 
this characteristic in the seers and prophets of Old Testa- 
ment times. What would the prophecies of Isaiah and 
Jeremiah be with the personal factor left out? Or the 
Psalms of David or the drama of Job? It is the ego with 
its vicissitudes, temptations, lapses, triumphs, which im- 
press us as being used of God in their own times and for 
all time in setting forth his will. Revelation in character 
is equally visible as in message and is often much more 
persuasive. The two combined are irresistible. 

So with the preachers of the New Testament — John, 
Peter, Paul, Christ. What are their utterances, profound 
as they are, without the personality which gives them mo- 
mentum ? True, they contain words of the sublimest wis- 
dom and philosophy, but it is the personal quality, the 
individualistic coloring which gives them convincing and 
enduring power. How different the words of these in- 
spired teachers sound when uttered by another. It is 
difficult to say of what this personal equation is always 
composed. It is a >mysterious something in the man 
which analysis has failed thus far to discover. Like the 
life germ, the knife has not touched it, nor the retort dis- 
closed it. Sometimes it is called animal magnetism, per- 
sonal polarity, atmosphere, air, potentiality, or the 
preacher's power to attract and rivet the attention of men. 

216 



Well, no matter what its name or modality, it exists and 
has powerfully operated in the great preachers of all ages. 

The time was when the notion prevailed that systems 
and not men constituted one of the chief factors of success 
in the ministry, and there can ibe little doubt that if a 
latitudinarian creed and an esthetic ceremonial have any 
influence on the masses, they have a tremendous power 
to draw. But we must bear in mind the conclusion which 
we reached some time ago, that true success is not always 
indicated by crowded churches, or drawing the masses. 
Howbeit some systems of theology do possess some ele- 
ments of attractiveness in them, but these do not inhere 
in them essentially and independently, as much as in the 
men who expound them. This will be seen at a glance 
when it is remembered that the great pulpit personalities 
of the past were not of one creed or denomination. 
Neither are the pulpit lights of today. Such men as 
Augustine, Calvin, Knox, Swingli, Wesley, Whitefield, 
Simpson, Chakners, Robertson were not all of one creed 
nor nationality. Yet they were great as preachers. If 
their system of theology had made them such, then we 
should naturally expect that all others subscribing to and 
preaching the same theology would have been giants too, 
but they were not. Their personality made these men 
what they were. 

The same is true of such preachers as Hall, Park- 
hurst, Paxton, Taylor, McArthur, Storrs, Tififney, Abbott, 
Brooks, et al. Some of these are Presbyterians, others 
Methodists, Episcopalians, Baptists and Congregation- 
alists. They are all considered men of God. They have 
all succeeded in the best sense of the word in their minis- 
try. To account for this either their theology, or their 
polity, or their individuality must (be credited with it. But 
it has been clearly demonstrated that it was not their 
theology, for this was diverse ; nor their polity, for this 
was distinctively antithetical. It must be, then, that their 

217 



success lay in their consecrated personality. Here I 
deposit it, and record my confirmed conviction that the 
personal equation is one of the most powerful co-efficients 
in a successful ministry. Hence today strong churches 
are growing up around strong personalities, and it is the 
man after all, imbued and filled with the divine message, 
who makes a success possible and is one of the chief fac- 
tors therein. George William Curtis aptly puts it thus : 
"One thing is plain, that with the decline of sacerdotal 
authority the influence of preaching must depend more 
and more upon the personal character and ability of the 
preacher." 

The next quality is originality. This is more than 
the ability to construct and compose sermons, or even 
the freedom from the bondage of borrowing other men's 
thoughts or stealing other men's words, which as we 
know is plagiarism. It consists in what the Germans call 
the "Zeitgeist/' the spirit of man, which reveals itself 
through his features, motions, and words. He sees ob- 
jects from his own angle of vision. The colors are his 
own perspective and shading. These objects may be the 
same as other men see and depict, but the picture of them 
is different. His preaching has his own person woven 
into it. It is God's truth tinged with man's mental and 
emotional idiosyncrasies. The Gospel of Jesus Christ ac- 
cording to St. Luke or St. Paul, or the man of God — 
whatever the name and age in which he lives — to whom 
a divine revelation has been given from heaven and who 
declares it to men through the trend of his own well 
marked peculiarities. 

"A right conception of what constitutes originality 
should be one of the first lessons in clerical culture. It 
does not consist in the creation of matter, for that has been 
done by the thinkers who went before, but in the selec- 
tion, combination and manipulation of the matter already 
in existence. He who thinks he can add a distinctively 

218 



new contribution to the subject matter of pulpit teaching 
must either be an insufferable coxcomb or a candidate for 
a lunatic asylum. Originality is denied even to men of 
genius in these days of searching criticism. Lowell has 
shown very clearly in one of his charming essays, that 
Geoffrey Chaucer was an inveterate borrower of the 
thoughts of other people, taking something that suited 
his purpose and making the most of it. And Shakes- 
peare is proven to have been still less original, if that were 
possible. Yet Chaucer and Shakespeare were original 
with a regal originality all their own. Their greatness lay 
not in the creation of matter, but in the use they made of 
it. This is the only kind of originality possible or desir- 
able in the pulpit." 

"If you want to be an original preacher/' wrote Dr. 
Dale, "look at heaven and hell, life and death, sin and 
holiness, with your own eyes; listen for yourself to the 
voice of God; ask Him to reveal to you the glory of His 
love, the steadfastness of His truth, the energy of His 
righteousness, and tell the world what you have seen and 
heard. Pierce to the heart of things. Get at the facts 
which lie behind appearances. In this way originality will 
come to you when you are not seeking it." This advice 
could not be improved upon. It comes from one who 
was a great man and a great saint as well as a great 
preacher. "He who would preach well must see the Vis- 
ion and hear the Voice. In the chamber of communion 
and from the pages of a Bible, illuminated by the Holy 
Ghost he must seek the originality of heart which is 
widely different from the originality of mind. The great 
common-places of religion must become as new and vivid 
and real to him, as if he saw them for the first time. Then 
he can enter the pulpit with a decision on his lips, a fire 
of intense conviction in his soul, and a freshness of truth 
pouring out of the fountain of spiritual experience, that 
shall invest his sermon with real originality. The way 

219 



may be narrow to intellectual pride and self-conceit, but 
it leads into the large place of green pastures and still 
waters. Try it." 

Moreover, it consists largely in the truth being trans- 
mitted by the individual subjectivity and then presented 
with all the striking and salient marks of the man upon it. 
The preacher's own convictions, experience and singu- 
larity are stamped as clearly upon his message as are the 
image and superscription on the coins of the realm. The 
material may be similar, such as copper, silver, or gold, 
the form, the expression, and consequently the impres- 
sion, differ. All preachers of power in all ages have pos- 
sessed this power of originality in a large and marked 
degree. Instance the Gospel as preached by St. John, 
St. James and St. Paul; by Massillon, Butler, and Chan- 
ning. Hence, 

"By thy own soul's law learn to live, 
And if men thwart thee, take no heed, 
And if men hate thee, have no care, 
Sing thou thy song, and do thy deed, 
Hope thou thy hope, and pray thy prayer, 
And claim no crown they will not give." . 

Another factor of success which, if it does not form 
part of the personal equation, is closely akin to it, is en- 
thusiasm. The root of the word is even more significant 
than its English equivalent. It is a compound of "en- 
theos-stao," literally meaning to "stand in God." Per- 
sons anciently described as enthusiasts were supposed to 
be divinely inspired. The more modern meaning of the 
term is inclusive. It embraces a lively imagination, in- 
tensity of feeling, earnest action, fervor of soul. The 
whole man — body, soul and spirit — is enswathed in a 
divine atmosphere. It is conceded by some writers that 
an exhibition of enthusiasm is proper in almost any and 
every cause but the cause of religion. Why this excep- 
tion? It is permissible, say they, in the cause of human- 

'_..:;" 220 ... j ■ 



ity, politics, sports, business, fraternities, and one's 
country, but not of one's religion. It is our opinion that 
the last named is its special and native sphere. If a man 
has a right to be thoroughly in earnest and enthusiastic 
over anything in this wide worfd, it is in the service of 
Jehovah. Of course we discriminate between enthu- 
siasm and fanaticism. The latter danger does not immi- 
nently threaten the modern pulpit. Neither does the 
former. It has seemed to us in listening to some minis- 
ters that they were cold and phlegmatic, unmoved them- 
selves, and therefore did not move others. Brilliant, for- 
sooth, but their brilliancy was as the shimmer of an ice- 
berg, when the rays of the sun slant genially upon it; 
they reflected and glanced off to chill and not to warm. 
"The sincere milk of the word may be dispensed from the 
pulpit, yet given out so frigidly and unfeelingly as to 
make it hard to receive. In Siberia the milkmen some- 
times deliver their milk in chunks, not in quarts, it being 
frozen solid and thus carried about to the customers. 
Alas, is this not the way many pulpits deliver the milk of 
the word? It is the pure article, sound, orthodox, and 
unadulterated, but it is frozen into logical formularies and 
hardened and chilled by excessive reasonings. Let us 
preach so that our sermons shall not have to be thawed 
before they can be digested/' Whether the stories told 
about certain great dramatists and preachers are authentic 
or not, it is certainly true that while some players, by 
their earnestness, make the fictitious seem real, some 
preachers make the real seem imaginary, and soulless, 
yea and bodiless. Emerson is right in postulating that 
"nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm/' 
Certainly nothing great for God and humanity. Get in 
rapport, then, with your work. Let your message thrill 
you. Be like a Leyden jar yourself, and the people will 
feel the trill of your energy, power, and fire. 

Another indispensable integer needed in favorably 

221 



impressing an audience with revealed truth is imagina- 
tion. Napoleon credits it with enormous power. "The 
men of imagination, " said he, "rule the world." That 
some ministers, otherwise possessing many fine parts, fail 
because they are destitute of it or do not exercise it, is 
obvious. They have a severely logical bent, or matter of 
fact turn of mind. They regard themselves as being des- 
titute of this gift, when perhaps they have it in large 
measure by nature. There are others who are conscious 
of its possession, but never allow it play in their pulpit 
ministration. This perhaps because they regard its exer- 
cise as being out of place in this sphere. A great mistake 
no doubt, but one which the more serious minded and 
solemn are prone to commit. It is their "napkin talent" 
safely stowed away. And yet, this gift and its exercise 
may be said to take the place, in the modern minister, of 
vision in the prophets of old. It is a powerful adjunct to 
any public speaker, and especially to one who has to do 
with the supernatural. If such an one were wholly lack- 
ing this quality, it seems as though his contact with the 
unseen, the spiritual and eternal would be sufficient to 
create it, and call it into action. 

It looks like attempting an herculean task for one 
totally devoid of this gift to undertake to preach ; for it 
has to do with the thoughts, the words, the construction, 
the delivery and the effect of the sermon. Touched by it, 
the thoughts become mental pictures ; the words, colors ; 
the divisions, scenes, and the whole a grand and stately 
panorama which stirs, startles, and moves men. So much 
depends upon its possession and legitimate use by the 
preacher, that he should seek its development at all costs. 
Hence, he should be a close student of Nature ; 

"For to him who, in the love of nature, holds 
Communion with her visible form, she speaks a vari- 
ous language" — 

and of art — painting, statuary, architecture — also, of the 

222 



imaginative in literature. Communion with, contempla- 
tion and consideration of these, will contribute largely to 
the end designed, while it furnishes the mind with whole- 
some entertainment. Exercise the imagination "in con- 
structing and inventing, in picturing and illustrating, in 
reproducing the past, and giving vivid reality to the un- 
seen world ; but everywhere exercise it under the control 
of sound judgment and good taste, and above all of (de- 
vout feeling and a solemn sense of responsibility to God." 

In army life commissions are constantly running out, 
for one reason and another. Sometimes the term of en- 
listment has expired, and at other times inefficiency ter- 
minates them. In the service of the Lord Jesus Christ 
there should be, and strictly are, no time commissions. 
They are for life. This is specially true of those called to 
be leaders and commanders in God's army. But it may 
happen, nay it does happen, that inefficiency of one kind 
or another causes the commissions of some of these men 
to lapse. No one can read Baxter's "Gildas Salvanus" — 
"The Reformed Pastor" — without being convinced that 
this position is correct. Neither can he look around him 
and note in the pulpit men who were once proficient and 
efficient there, but who have lost their Samson-like 
strength and become weak as other men, without being 
fully satisfied that something has happened to them. What 
is it? What are they lacking? They have been growing 
intellectually. They preach more rhetorical and highly 
finished sermons than formerly. There is more profound 
erudition, and philosophy, in their sermons than of yore. 
What then, is the matter? Why simply this, their com- 
mission has lapsed. It needs to be redated and reissued 
from headquarters. 

Some of these men have been dabbling with phil- 
osophy, rationalism and science, falsely so called. They 
have forgotten the stipulations imprinted in their com- 
mission. They have, likewise, failed to enforce others to 

223 



the extent that they have become null and void. How 
many there are who are now in this predicament ! Like 
ships which have lost their moorings, they are dragging 
anchors with nothing to which to grapple which will 
keep them from drifting. I remember a noted preacher 
who in his latter days seemed to have become fogged. In 
early life he was a clean-cut preacher of evangelical truth, 
but his pulpit efforts later became mere metaphysical dis- 
quisitions. This is the condition of many in our pulpits 
today. What these men need is to come back to the 
simple terms of their original commission, or what is 
tantamount to the same thing obtain its renewal. Indeed, 
strange as it may sound, it is nevertheless true that in 
scholarship, in native and acquired ability, in an all round 
equipment for the performance of the work to which they 
are set apart, the clergy were never as a whole more thor- 
oughly furnished than they are in this age. Some, how- 
ever, have forgotten to obey the orders of the great Com- 
mander "to preach the gospel," and consequently they 
have preached tradition, history, biography, criticism, 
science, philosophy, and anything and everything else. 
The old order has been inoperative so long that now the 
only recourse open to them, which amounts to an alter- 
native, is either to resign their command or seek for a 
commission which is up to date and strictly follow its 
directions. In some religious circles this want is being 
keenly felt. Ministers are seeking a reconsecration of 
person and a rededication to their work. When this 
movement shall have become general, there will be as 
much difference in these divinely appointed leaders and 
their hosts as there was in the dry bones which lay strewn 
along the valley, very many, and very dry, and that "ex- 
ceeding great army" that "stood upon their feet." The 
first part of the vision represents the Church of God and 
its leaders with commission run out, the other with com- 
mission up to date. 

224 



To have and to hold such a commission will require 
an inflexibility of purpose or sanctified stubbornness 
backed by divine grace. This quality is one of the fac- 
tors entering into a successful ministry, and it has always 
been prominent in preachers who have attained it. There 
are so many events which arise, as well as side issues, 
which present themselves that it becomes necessary to 
set one's face as a flint, and determine like Daniel 
that you will not be turned aside, no not even 
by a king's dainties, from your heaven-born pur- 
pose to be wholly the Lord's. Remember, there 
are not press gangs today which can force you out 
of your Master's service into that of another. No person 
can compel you to leave the King's highway of holiness 
and duty. But you will, nevertheless, find that to swerve 
off here and there will not only be easy but frequently de- 
sirable to the flesh. There will come times when you 
must hold yourself to the one purpose of seeing the end 
of the Christian ministry, as with the grip of a giant. A 
flattering offer will come to you to become partner with 
some relative in a mercantile firm, or a law partner, or a 
correspondent of some leading journal. The enterprise 
offers in the way of remuneration as many thousand dol- 
lars per annum as you are receiving hundreds. Your sons 
and your daughters are springing up as plants about you. 
They desire to rise. To this end, they will need the cul- 
ture and training of the schools. On your present salary, 
and in your present calling, it will be well nigh impos- 
sible for you to do for them what you could under other 
and more propitious circumstances. 

Then again, there loom up before you the days which 
are coming on apace when you will be considered by 
some too old to preach, but, alas ! perhaps, when you 
have no means on which to retire. How much different 
would it be if you would only yield to the Siren voice call- 
ing you to enter other fields of labor. Shall you do it? 

225 



Are there not many reasonable considerations why you 
should? Doubtless there are, but hold on the even tenor 
of your way and all shall be well. If the disinherited and 
unknown Black Prince, although afterwards Prince Ed- 
ward, and heir to the English throne, could inscribe upon 
his shield, despite adversities and difficulties : "Ich dien" — 
I serve ; if Moses choose "rather to suffer affliction with 
the people of God than enjoy the pleasures of sin for a 
season, esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches 
than the treasures of Egypt" ; and if your Master could 
leave the glories of heaven, "humble himself, and become 
obedient unto death, even the death of the cross" ; surely 
you and I, with less to lose and more to gain, may hold 
ourselves by an iron will to the work of the gospel minis- 
try and win success therein. 

In addition to the exercise of that will, power which 
will keep us from deflecting there must be that heart 
quality which is sometimes described "moral courage," 
or fearlessness. If anywhere a man needs to be as bold as 
a lion it is in the ministry. And if ever one human quali- 
fication, more than another, contributes to victory therein 
it is moral courage. To strike one's colors, to forsake 
one's flag, to surrender one's cause, will invariably hap- 
pen when fearlessness predominates. Thank God that 
the trial of our faith is not so severe and so crucial as 
formerly. There are few men who are driven from their 
pulpits in these days for presenting the truth, and fewer 
still who suffer martyrdom at the stake for conscience 
sake. And yet courage is needed, for it is as true now as 
it ever has been that "the fear of man bringeth a snare." 
To lower the standards from the battlements where the 
Scriptures place them to that where the world would have 
them is constantly being demanded. There is a continual 
outcry for a diluted gospel and a rose-water theology. 
Give us savory meat is the request of many hungering 
souls who know not what they ask. What answer shall 

226 



we make to these demands? To comply would not be 
hard,, but it would prove us recreant to our God-given 
trust. We must, therefore, be bold enough to preach the 
truth, even though it may be unsavory and unpalatable. 
Doubtless Jonah did not crave the undesirable mission of 
going to the Ninevites with the message, "Yet forty days, 
and Nineveh shall be overthrown." Neither perhaps did 
Peter in accusing the Jews of having "crucified the Lord 
of Life and Glory." Neither does the gospel evangel 
delight in carrying to the sinful and erring the denuncia- 
tory deliverances of the great Judge against transgres- 
sors of His law. It requires fearlessness of a high grade 
oftentimes to do this. But it must be done and there 
should be no shirking. What sublime examples of the 
exhibition of this quality have been given in the world's 
history. 

It is said that when Massillon preached at Versailles, 
Louis XIV paid the following most expressive tribute to 
the power of his plain and pointed preaching; 
"Father," said he, "when I hear others preach I am very 
well pleased with them, but when I hear you I am dis- 
satisfied with myself." Bishop Latimer, having, in a ser- 
mon at court in Henry the Eighth's days, much dis- 
pleased the king, was commanded the next Sunday after 
to preach again and make his recantation. He prefaced 
his sermon with a kind of dialogue : "Hugh Latimer, 
dost thou know to whom thou art this day to speak? To 
the high and mighty monarch, the king's most excellent 
majesty, who can take away thy life if thou offend, there- 
fore take heed how thou speak a word that may dis- 
please." But, as if recalling himself, "Hugh, Hugh," said 
he, "dost know from whence thou comest, upon whose 
message thou art sent, and who it is that is present with 
thee, and beholdest all thy ways? Even the great and 
mighty God, who is able to cast both soul and body into 
hell forever: therefore look about thee, and be sure that 

227 



thou deliver thy message faithfully." What he had de- 
livered the Sunday before, he confirmed and urged with 
more vehemency than ever. The court was full of expec- 
tation what would be the issue of the matter. After din- 
ner, the king called for Latimer, and asked him how he 
durst be so bold as to preach after that manner. He an- 
swered that "duty to God and his prince had enforced him 
thereunto, and now he had discharged his conscience and 
duty both in what he had spoken, his life was in his 
majesty's hands." Upon this the king rose from his seat, 
and, taking the good man off his knees, embraced him in 
his arms, saying, "He blessed God that he had a man in 
his kingdom that durst deal so plainly and faithfully with 
him." 

When Mary, Queen of Scotland, began her bloody 
reign, John Knox was among the exiles on the continent. 
After a time he reproached himself and said : "I will arise 
and go to my fatherland and work God's work, I will do 
or die." He went, and Mary feared him more than an 
army with banners. When laid in his grave behind St. 
Gile's Cathedral in Edinburgh, Lord Norton, looking 
down upon his coffin, said, "There is one who never 
feared the face of man." What a eulogy ! That same kind 
of fearlessness is requisite in the gospel herald today. 

Closely connected with the above, as links in a chain, 
are promptness, faithfulness, and conscientiousness in the 
discharge of all duties, great and small, which inhere in 
the work of God. Then men "shall account of us as of 
the ministers of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of 
God." To be prompt in attending to the various and 
numerous duties which devolve upon us is a sure har- 
binger of the attainment and accomplishment of that to 
which we put our hands. Its observance prevents pro- 
crastination, which means doing tomorrow what we 
should do today. In these days of the telegraph, the elec- 
tric motor and telephone, ministers must be on time and 

228 



to the point. For, as Dr. Gregory trenchently states the 
case, "in an age when man is intensely active, and all 
other ideas come to him on the wing, it will not do for 
the truth of God to crawl, like a snail, or slumber like a 
crow. It must fly with the celerity of a carrier pigeon to 
bring its messages to men in the thick of life's battle, or 
it must mount like an eagle to command attention, and 
carry its glad tidings upon swift wings to every corner 
of the earth." To this end those who bear it must be as 
swift as Mercury, as eloquent as Apollo, and as prompt 
as Aurora. It precludes the possibility of overlooking a 
matter on the ground of its smallness and apparent in- 
significance. It is difficult to always practice Christ's in- 
junction and do those things which are least at the very 
moment they should receive attention. And yet, "he that 
is faithful in that which is least, is faithful also in much." 
Moreover, more may depend upon the faithful discharge 
of the minor duties of our office than appears on the sur- 
face. Did we but know how little things into great ones 
grow, there would be no putting off or omission. On 
the performance of a single act, the utterance of a single 
word, may hang the present and future happiness of some 
immortal soul for whom Christ died. 

Then again, faithfulness requires that we should be 
true to ourselves and to our God. It necessitates the ut- 
terance of the truth, w T hether men will hear it and heed it 
or not. The faithful preacher declares the whole counsel 
of God. He does not exalt one part and ban another, 
present the gospel and exclude the law, or put forward 
the Mount of Beatitudes to the entire depression of Cal- 
vary. True, he may have to pay for his fidelity in arous- 
ing the displeasure of those against whom it militates. 
But he is the messenger. The message does not originate 
with him. It is for him to deliver it. If there is any 
conflict it is between truth and untruth, righteousness and 
sin, God and the transgressor. It is at this juncture that 

229 



the preacher will need all the backbone he can manufac- 
ture and all the courage he can generate to enable him to 
be true. Nevertheless, this is one of the chief factors of 
success in the ministry. It may appear paradoxical to 
say so in view of the unpopularity and criticism which 
frequently accompany such courageous outspokenness. 
These are only for a time, however,, and not forever. 
There will soon come a reaction in favor of the man who 
dares to be true to his convictions and his God. What 
if the pulpits of certain worldly and fashionable churches 
should be closed against faithful heralds of the Cross? 
What if, as in olden time, these men should be ostracized 
and expatriated, or, if it were possible in these days, they 
should receive martyrdom? The time will no doubt come 
when diurch doors will stand ajar and invitations be ex- 
tended to such. When the faithful ones will be called 
home again, and receive the plaudits of the multitude. 
But if these things should not come to pass, God says, 
"Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown 
of everlasting life." Be well assured of this that the 
crown will come, as I believe, in the form of visible, mate- 
rial growth and prosperity in the work of the ministry; 
if not, it is certain to come in the "Hereafter." 

Another indispensable integer entering into the sum 
total of a truly prosperous pastorate is tact. It is a virtue 
of no mean order. Subtle enough to elude definition, but 
impressive enough to make itself felt. Like the inde- 
scribable touch of a master hand on the keys of some 
massive organ, the effects produced indicate ability and 
frequently genius. That more men fail for lack of this 
property than for lack of learning, eloquence, and piety is, 
I think, so self-evident as to need no formal proof at my 
hands. It sometimes takes the form of controlling one's 
own actions. At others of diplomacy in the management 
of affairs and men. It is as desirable and as requisite to 
the divine as any other gift which goes to thoroughly 

230 



qualify him for the sacred office. Its absence is soon dis- 
covered and animadverted upon. For example ; at a sab- 
bath morning worship in a city church, a poor woman 
was seated in the gallery, holding in her arms a small 
child. After a time, perhaps because of the prolixness 
and tediousness of the doughty Doctor's sermon, the 
child began to cry. When, instead of proceeding with his 
discourse, or, if he must notice the child's cries, saying 
a few words of comfort and encouragement to the dis- 
tressed mother, who had made no small effort to be pres- 
ent in the Lord's house, he stopped preaching, and 
brusquely commanded the woman to take her crying child 
home. She obeyed. Ever afterwards he missed the 
child's crying and the mother's presence in the bargain. 
A little tact like that exhibited by the Master, when his 
disciples sought to send the children away from Him, 
would have comforted the mother, soothed the child, and 
diverted from himself much merited censure. 

Another glaring exhibition of its lack is when a min- 
ister stops the services of God's house while he repri- 
mands some giggling girl, or wakes up some drowsy 
deacon. Or further, when he takes occasion to warn his 
audience against attending some coming theatrical per- 
formance, or the ebullitions of some infidel lecturer, or 
against reading some morally pernicious book. In eacH 
and every instance, unintentionally and perhaps uncon- 
sciously, he becomes a particeps criminis with the show- 
man, the lecturer, and the writer. This, not by endorsing 
the one or the other, but by advertising them all. Some 
of the persons present w T ould have known nothing about 
any of them but for the preacher's reference to them. He 
piqued their curiosity, and this in turn prompted them 
to attend the theater, hear the lecture, and read the book". 

A few examples of its operation will show us how it 
tends to success. It will remove embarrassment, chagrin, 
and other undesirable effects, and as a matter of course 

231 



produce the opposite. At a public funeral in a large 
church, thronged with relatives and friends of a deceased 
minister of the gospel, the undertaker, being unfamiliar 
with the order of the service, arose in his seat when the 
singing of the second hymn began, the congregation re- 
maining seated. At once the man became exceedingly 
embarrassed, undecided evidently whether to sit 
down or remain standing. The pastor of the 
church, taking in the situation at a glance, quietly 
beckoned the undertaker to his side and sent him 
to say to the ushers that they could seat any 
late comers in the few front pews which were not 
quite full. Few persons, not even the undertaker himself, 
saw the point at the time. It relieved him, however, of 
his embarrassment, and prevented a feeling of levity 
creeping over the younger portion of the congregation, 
which would have totally destroyed the solemnity of the 
occasion, so far as they were concerned. 

Another was still more embarrassing. At a religious 
meeting held at the "county house/' at which were pres- 
ent the partly imbecile as well as the indigent, one of the 
women put a couple of her outer skirts over her head. At 
once there was smiling, whispering, and blushing among 
the persons from the church who had gone to conduct the 
services, and the inmates of the institution alike. While 
the query uppermost in the minds of the more serious 
and sedate was, "What shall we do"? Apparently, with- 
out a moment's thought or hesitation, the leader stepped 
from the desk, reached the woman's side, adjusted the 
disarranged garments, and quietly but firmly told her 
that it must not happen again. The service then pro- 
ceeded without any further interruption. It was the es- 
sence of tact and sanctified common sense and prevented 
a scene. 

If scriptural illustrations of it are desired, let Paul on 
Mar's Hill in the ancient city of Athens furnish one. 

232 



Mark with what skill he begins his memorable oration 
there. Note how respectfully he addresses those Grecian 
philosophers. With what delicacy he adverts to their 
altars and their gods. How, by an adroit stroke, he re- 
moves from the pedestal the image of some unknown, 
tutelary diety, and substitutes therefor — that they might 
ever after worship Him — "God who made the world and 
all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and 
earth/' 

As a tactician, no one surpassed Christ. Mention 
has already been made of his skillful employment of this 
quality in His dealings with the people of His day. Not- 
ably in the way in which he answered the priests who 
brought Him the tribute money, those who arraigned be- 
fore Him the woman taken in adultery, and the solution 
He gave to the Sadducean puzzle or the one woman .who 
had seven husbands. It is most distinct and clear in His 
management of men of different temperaments. Mark 
this in His associations with the twelve. What a diversity 
of character and of disposition ! Yet, "he lost none but 
the son of perdition. " His tact is also visible in the use 
of the language he employs in His never dying sayings, 
and His ever present interrogatives ; such as "What went 
ye out to see"? and "What shall it profit a man"? Not 
only in the variety of the rhetorical structure of his sen- 
tences, but his illustrations, similitudes, parables. His 
conversational and homely style. His constantly keeping 
before Him the composition of His audiences. Hence, 
He selects His subjects and chooses His words and ad- 
justs His verbal construction according to the capacity, 
vocations, and training of His hearers. When the multi- 
tudes which gathered about Him were mostly tillers of 
the soil, He speaks to them of plowing, sowing and reap- 
ing, of tares and wheat. When they were toilers of the 
deep, it is the kingdom of Heaven under the similitude 
of nets, boats, fishes, storms, and calms. When they were 

233 



pastoral folks, of lambs, sheep, dogs, wolves, flocks and 
folds. When speaking to women, of leaven, and meal, 
sweeping and house cleaning. No wonder the common 
people heard Him gladly, or that the officers sent to ar- 
rest Him returned without Him, offering in palliation of 
their remissness, "that never man spake as this man." It 
was not alone His eloquence, or His divinity, which gave 
Him this remarkable pre-eminence as a preacher, but 
His tactfulness. This quality, in its effectiveness and 
power in the pulpit of today, will be found to outweigh 
many of the other factors of success. Therefore, with all 
your getting, get it, for it is closely akin to the highest 
wisdom. 

That apt and copious illustrations are among the 
most prevalent agencies of pulpit efficiency is put beyond 
a peradventure by the career of Guthrie, Paxton, Hood, 
and others. Eloquence is defined as the art of speaking in 
such a way as is best adapted to attract, to instruct, to 
convince, and to persuade. If this is so, then as Dr. Dow- 
ling observes, "it is the power of pleasing which attracts, 
it is the material of truth which instructs, it is the force 
of argument which convinces, it is the power of appeal 
which persuades, while the faculty of applying and per- 
ceiving analogies, in other words the power of illustra- 
tion, contributes attractiveness, beauty, and force to ora- 
tory. There is, therefore, probably no single qualification 
of the orator so well adapted to attract and to instruct an 
audience as a happy faculty of illustration. And here, 
unquestionably, is to be found the reason why many men 
of limited literary attainments and entirely ignorant of 
the sciences of the schools, yet eminently endowed with 
the faculty of perceiving analogies, with industry enough 
by observation and reading to supply themselves with the 
material for the same, and strong common sense to make 
their application, have wielded an influence over the pop- 
ular mind, and achieved an amount of solid good far be- 

234 



yond the accomplished scholar and learned divine who 
may have passed half a life time in the halls of learning, 
but with all his acquisitions, has failed to cultivate the 
power of illustration. The power of illustration must, 
therefore, be a very important element of pulpit success." 

Furthermore, Dr. Broadus says, "The importance ot 
illustration in preaching is beyond expression. In num- 
erous cases it is our best means of explaining religious 
truth, and often to the popular mind, our only means of 
proving it. Ornament, too, has its legitimate place in 
preaching, and whatever will help us to move the hard 
hearts of men is unspeakably valuable. Besides, for what- 
ever purpose illustration may be specially employed, it 
often causes the truth to be remembered. Sometimes, 
indeed, even where its force as an explanation or proof 
was not at first fully apprehended, the illustration, par- 
ticularly if it be a narrative, is retained in the mind until 
subsequent instruction or experience brings out the 
meaning. Such was frequently the case with the first 
hearers of our Lord's parables. In preaching to children 
and to the great masses of adults, illustration is simply 
indispensable, if we would either interest, instruct or im- 
press them ; while a good illustration is always acceptable 
and useful to hearers of the highest talent and culture. 
The example of our Lord decides the whole question ; 
and the illustrations which so abound in the records of 
His preaching ought to be needfully studied by every 
preacher, as to their source, their aim, their style, and 
their relation to the other elements of His teaching. 
Among the Christian preachers of different ages who 
have been most remarkable for affluence and felicity of 
illustration, there may be mentioned Chrysotum, Jeremy 
Taylor, Christmas Evans, Chalmers, Spurgeon, and 
Beecher." 

It may be said without fear of successful contradic- 
tion, that the sermon which has no "likes," no "simili- 

235 



tildes," no "anecdotes," no fables, no personal reminis- 
cence, or experience in it, is defective. "Your sermon 
had one defect in it ; it had no likes," was the sharp criti- 
cism concerning one of the foremost preachers of his 
age. This remark contains sound philosophy, and a pro- 
found knowledge of human nature. The promiscuous 
audience must be reached by illustrative, pictorial, and 
kindergarten methods. What preacher has not observed 
how a listless, drowsy congregation wakes up at the an- 
nouncement of a story or personal incident? "There are 
but few in a multitude who can grasp, and fewer still who 
care to grasp, a protracted argument though it may be 
woven into a logic, bright and close, as a suit of chain 
armour; but the parable through which the truth shines, 
or the comparison which links it to something familiar, 
or the touching story which connects it with a heart-his- 
tory, brings it home all the more readily, and causes it to 
linger all the longer in the memory." 

"That a threefold cord cannot be broken" has be- 
come proverbial. Neither can the potent influence which 
lead on to a spiritual future by the three graces, Faith, 
Hope and Love be long delayed. These three are expa- 
tiated upon by St. Paul, and are prominent in those who 
accomplish much for Christ and His kingdom among 
men. The man who is to lead God's hosts to victory 
must himself have "faith." He must have an all con- 
quering faith. Without this there had been no Land of 
Promise for Israel, there had been no Reformation under 
Luther and Wesley, there had been no missions to the 
heathen. It was because Carey had faith to believe large 
things of God that he asked for large things and they 
were granted in answer to the prayer of faith. The peti- 
tion must apposite for the ministry of this present age to 
present at the throne of grace is "Lord, increase our 
faith." And for them to covet for themselves such a faith 
as was exhibited by the widow who importuned the un- 

236 



just judge. "This is the victory that overcometh the 

world, even your faith. " We forget this dictum, and 
think and act as though it were our knowledge, our push, 
our personality, our eloquence. Not so, it is our faith. 
Without this — of the right quantity and quality — our 
labors must be in vain. 

Add to faith hope. This, like an anchor, we are told, 
entereth into that which is within the vail. More, it lay- 
eth hold of all things without the vail. It is equally true 
of this grace as of faith, that by it we are saved and save 
others. A gloomy pessimistic man is an anomally as a 
Christian, much more as a Christian leader. If optimism 
ever becomes a man, and a system, it does the Ambassa- 
dor of the Cross, and the embassy which is committed to 
his care. The one is "glad tidings of great joy." The 
other is its bearer. It is granted that there is much in the 
grave responsibility resting upon men called to this high 
commission, much in the manifold duties which they have 
to perform to the sick, the sinful, the wayward, and the 
dying, and much in the declaration of the law to the in- 
corrigible, and the rebel, which make for gravity and 
solemnity. But hope — if it ever spring eternal anywhere 
— .must be in the heart of one chosen to stand as Christ's 
representative. It was left among the treasures which the 
gods made to men, in Pandora's box, even after many 
other blessings and boons had taken their flight; so it 
must remain among the preacher's possessions though 
some others have taken their departure forever. 

Love is the crowning quality of the three. This is 
supreme. It will enable the man of God to bear much 
which otherwise would be intolerable to him, as a man of 
culture, and a man of parts. It is closely akin to that 
Christ-like trait called "sympathy." It is greater than 
this, for it is the fountain from which sympathy, like a 
stream, may perennially flow. To love much is to be in 

237 



rapport with all departments of your work. To be in 
love with your work is success. 

The sympathetic soul will always be needed. There 
is so much that is sad and sorrowful, painful and disap- 
pointing, in the lives of all, that the demand for sympathy 
is constant and imperative. For some reason sorrowing 
humanity turns instinctively, in its hours of loneliness, be- 
reavement and distress, to the messengers of the grace 
for piety, consolation and help. It is sympathy which 
makes the difference between the true mother and the 
nurse. It is because the child knows that mother will 
pity it, and sooth it, that it goes to her with its scratches, 
cuts and bruises, its disappointments, fears and trouble. 
Is it not for a similar reason that mankind turn to Christ's 
representatives in their greater troubles and calamities? 
Are they not morally sure that when they come, they will 
receive compassion and succor? I am disposed to think 
it is. Hence, to be able to sympathize and comfort will 
be found an indispensable adjunct to success in the min- 
istry. To weep with those who weep, to inspire hope in 
the disconsolate, to cheer the discouraged, to bear with 
the weak, to lift up those who have fallen into the Slough 
of Despond, to open prison doors to those who are in- 
carcerated in Doubting Castle, to enter into sympathetic 
relations with the bread-winner, the widow and the or- 
phan. O, that in this respect more of us were like our 
blessed Master, the sympathizing Jesus ! He stretched 
forth a helping hand to the fallen. He consoled with His 
disciples when they had toiled all night and caught noth- 
ing. He condoled with the widow of Main, with Jairus, 
and with the Bethany sisters in their loss and bereave- 
ment. 

But a broad sympathy will not confine itself to those 
of our own flock, or even to those within other folds, but 
will go out to those who are like sheep without a shep- 
herd. Its breadth should be measured by no Church 

238 



walls. No, nor community lines, but should be co-ex- 
tensive with the human race. There are so many people 
in this world who are like the Miller of Dee, whose favor- 
ite ditty was, 

"I care for nobody, no not I, 
And nobody cares for me, for me." 

Nevertheless, a greater than he sings, "One touch of 
Nature makes the whole world kin," and that touch is 
sympathy. It is the universal solvent. And as long as 
the world stands 

"Kind hearts 'will be' more than coronets, 
And simple faith than Norman blood." 
Doctrinal preaching in these latter days has fallen 
into disfavor. This may be because the preachers of half 
a century ago and less made it the staple type of their 
pulpit deliverances. Not only so, but they presented it 
in its most rugged outlines, and frequently in its most 
controversial forms. Far be it from me to in any way 
intimate that because a doctrine is polemical it should be 
suppressed. Had this been the modus operandi of the 
Fathers, we should never have kept the faith once de- 
livered to the saints, pure and unadulterated. Neither 
should we have been able to sift it from the mass of 
priestly puerilities and rabbinical traditions which gath- 
ered about it, as barnacles cluster about the hull of a ship. 
Doctrinal preaching of a polemical type has been abso- 
lutely essential to the preservation of the faith. Bishop 
Brooks was right when he said, "the preachers who have 
moved and held men have always preached doctrine; no 
exhortation to a good life that does not put behind it 
some truth, deep as eternity, can seize and hold the con- 
science." Moreover, it was such preaching which re- 
stored to us, when lost, the doctrines of justification by 
faith, of assurance, of the witness of the spirit. I am fully 
convinced that more doctrinal preaching, even of a con- 
troversial character, would be wholesome in this age. 

239 



Ministers are still set like Paul for the defense of the gos- 
pel. Irenics and apologetics and ethics and applied Chris- 
tianity are all right in their place and in their due pro- 
portion. The objection is this, too many of the sermons 
of these days are entirely of this kind. There can be no 
presentation of the whole counsel of God without quite 
an admixture of doctrine. 

I would not, however, advise a return to the doc- 
trinal preaching of former years in its entirety. Would I 
advocate this doctrinal type of preaching at all in view of 
the prejudice against it? I certainly would. The fact is 
we need it, not only in building up saints, but in convert- 
ing sinners. If the Church of Jesus Christ is to accom- 
plish its glorious mission of redeeming the race, there 
must be a return to doctrinal preaching and teaching. For 
example, there must be a new emphasis put upon Trini- 
tarian Theism, Christ's Atonement by vicarious sacrifice, 
the supernatural and miraculous inspiration of the Holy 
Scriptures, rewards and punishments. To do this will 
necessitate antagonism in some quarters. What of that ! 
There is some fighting to be done in these days as there 
was of yore. Preachers are as much knights of the Cross 
as they are ambassadors of the King. They should be 
equally at home in the camp as in the court. And equally 
at ease in armor as in the robes of office. To carry out 
the program will not require us to speak roughly or un- 
brotherly or dogmatically, but with love, gooci will, and in 
the spirit of Christian chivalry. 

In few spheres of human activity, if in any, can it be 
truthfully alleged that success pivots on a negative. Cer- 
tainly it cannot be so declared to do in the promulgation 
of the Christian religion. It is venturing nothing to aver 
that nescience has no place in the gospel plan of salvation. 
Therefore, a man who cannot preach an affirmative gos- 
pel should preach none. If his creed consists of a string 
of denials the world will be better not to hear them than 

240 



in listening to them. "In alluding to the salient features 
of God's plan of human redemption/' Paul said to Titus, 
"These things I will, that thou affirm constantly." In 
this piece of instruction he furnishes a timely admonition. 
Some kinds of positivism may be objectionable, so may 
some types of dogmatism ; but an exception may be made 
of religious positivism and christian dogmatism when the 
same keep within the bounds of Scripture and the spirit of 
its writers. The christian pulpit to draw and to impress 
and to win mankind, must announce, assert, and assever- 
ate its divine message. The men who occupy it must be 
able to declare with Job and Paul and Christ, we know 
that these things of which we speak are eternal verities. 
If they cannot do so, why preach at all? Is it not 
the very core of preaching to announce things revealed? 
Is it not a veritable travesty upon the sacred calling for 
men to enter it and remain in it, unless they have some 
sure word of prophecy to proclaim? But this condition 
of affairs is heightened when, instead of speaking posi- 
tively and affirmatively in the name of their Master, they 
reverse the process, raise questions, qualify, minify, and 
even deny the truth. Of what earthly, or heavenly use 
either, is it for those who are known as religious teachers 
to parade their queries, their doubts, and their denials? 
Have not the people in the pews sufficient of these? Was 
it for this that they became ambassadors of the Word? 
Will they be doing God service in thus discarding the 
terms of their commission? To ask these questions is 
to suggest their answers. A negative gospel has no place 
or standing except on the platform of infidelity, in the 
inane utterances of agnosticism, or among the destruc- 
tive higher critics, who would have any other men the 
authors of the books of the Bible than those whose names 
they bear. Yet some such nescience has found its way 
into the precincts of the sanctuary. It must out, and that 
speedily, if the Church is to advance and the pulpit is to 

241 



be a positive power for conviction, conversion, and sal- 
vation among men. The positive man anywhere has al- 
ways the advantage of the vacillating, hesitating, and 
doubting. Nowhere so much as in the ministry. Here, 
with fewer other parts to recommend and further him in 
his work, he will forge ahead. This is true even of the 
advocates of doubt, when they become so positive as to 
make it philosophically, if not theologically, a certitude. 
Then even the conservatives become radical and the 
moderate ultra. 

Perhaps no more distinct type of pulpit utterance is 
demanded in this age of the world than the positive, 
affirmative, and prononciative. Luther declares that 
"Christians require certainly, definite dogmas, a sure 
word of God, which they can trust to live and to die by." 
This is the kind that will win every time. It has been the 
backbone and the prevailing power in all omnific preach- 
ing. It was because the early disciples of the Cross had 
some positive statements to make, that they were heard 
and prevailed. They -went forth with decisive declara- 
tions upon their lips and with the fire of intense convic- 
tion in their hearts. It made them irresistible and their 
words were as incisive as a two-edged sword. They 
fought not as those who beat the air. They ran not as 
those who were in doubt as to the goal. They spoke not 
as men who were hesitating as to the truthfulness of their 
message. Not so. They testified of that which they 
knew and bore witness of that which they had seen. 
Hence, they won in the conflict against all opposing 
forces. A like tone of certainty in the gospel message is 
what is needed to bring this whole world to the feet of 
its Redeemer, and usher in the hour when all men shall 
know him, from the least to the greatest. 

The preaching of the certainties implies that they are 
not solely the certainties which may appear to be such to 
the man who presents them. No; but the certainties 

* . 242 



which God's Word furnishes. There can be no knowl- 
edge of the spiritual world except that which is faintly 
umbraged by the natural world, and that which is more 
clearly set forth in the Bible. It is here that a complete 
revelation of the divine verities are set forth simply, 
clearly, and cogently. So that one w T ho runs may read, 
and a way-faring man may understand. No doubt, other 
power centers in some preachers than that which is 
directly derived from the Word itself. Still here is one 
of the sources of true power. Apollos was an orator, but 
he was mighty in the scriptures, so we are told. Chrysos- 
tom had a golden mouth, but it was his golden message 
which made it such. The great preachers have been 
greatest in this. And here is a factor of success that all 
can obtain. It is marvelous what momentum is acquired 
by a simple 'Thus saith the Lord/' added to the affirma- 
tive declarations of the man of God. 

Formerly, much stress was put upon the need of 
divine unction, as being one of the requisites of success in 
the ministry of the Word. What it is every efficient pas- 
tor knows, for at some time he has felt himself marvel- 
ously moved, and wonderfully assisted by this super- 
natural agency. It is a "chrism," or an anointing from 
the Holy One. Upon critical examination it will be seen 
that there is not only a family likeness between "chrism" 
and Christ, but also a family relation. So that unction, 
or chrism, is that which is expressed in the appellation 
Christ, or the Anointed One. It is that inexpressible some- 
thing that is like saintliness, and yet is not saintliness ; 
that is like suavity, and yet is not suavity. It possesses 
two distinctly marked properties. First, it enswathes the 
preacher with an atmosphere which is heavenly and di- 
vine. Second, it smooths and lubricates the preaching. 
It is inimitable and irresistible. 

St. Antonimus of Florence has the following: "A 
great preacher fell sick on the very eve of preaching at a 

243 



certain priory church. A stranger came to the door of 
the priory in the garb of the order and offered to fill the 
vacancy, and talked of the joys of Paradise and the pains 
of Hell, and the sin and misery of this world. One holy 
monk knew him to be Father Diobolus, and after the ser- 
mon said to him, 'Oh, thou accursed one! vile deceiver! 
how couldst thou take upon thee this holy office?' To 
which the Devil replied, 'Think you my discourse would 
prevent a single soul from seeking eternal damnation? 
Not so. The most finished eloquence and profoundest 
learning are worthless beside one drop of unction, of 
which there was none in my sermon. I moved the people, 
but they will forget all ; they will practice nothing, and 
hence all the words they have heard will serve to their 
greater judgment.' And with these words Father Dio- 
bolus vanished. " According to the logic of this incident, 
preaching is powerful and successful in proportion to the 
unction that accompanies it. Without this it fails to ac- 
complish that whereunto God ordained it. 

If any dispensation can be distinctively set apart 
from other epochs in the economy of God's plan as that 
of the Spirit's, it is the present. We can trace at least 
three separate periods, when it would not violate the 
Scriptures to speak of them as clearly marking a dispen- 
sation of each of the persons in the Trinity. In the first, 
God the Father was suzerain. Governments among r - 
ligious people were then regarded as being theocratic. 
Then came the dispensation of Grace, when the Son of 
the Father was for a brief period upermost in the divine 
economy. And since then, the dispensation of the Holy 
Ghost. Hence, the force of Christ's saying, "It is expe- 
dient for you that I go away; for if I go not away, the 
Comforter will not come to you, but if I depart, I will 
send him unto you." We are living under the suzerainty 
of the Spirit in a partial way. He is here in the earth like 
the sunshine and the air. It is no longer to the point to 

244 



pray for His descent. Prayer should now be made that 
men will open their eyes and their hearts to His recep- 
tion. 

To be baptized with the Holy Ghost means to be set 
on fire with holy zeal, and endued with divine power. The 
spirit's office work is to accomplish this dual effect in the 
heart and life of believers, but in a larger-degree to fur- 
nish the man of God with these qualities for the further- 
ance of the Gospel. Without the power that attends the 
presence of the Holy Ghost, the preacher in the pulpit 
is like a dismantled battering ram, or a modern Krupp 
gun spiked. The execution accomplished will amount to 
a nihility. Few will be the slain of the Lord about him. 
Holy Ghost power makes all the difference between effi- 
ciency and inefficiency in the Herald of the Cross. In- 
stance Peter before and after Pentecost, and John the 
Baptist. Modern examples are such men as Cuyler, 
Moody and Meyer. Hence Dr. A. J. Gordon says, "Suc- 
cess does not depend upon our acuteness or our eloquence 
or our skill, but upon God's spirit that accompanies and 
energizes the word. It takes a strong man to use an 
argument effectively, but a babe in Christ can use a text 
of Scripture with prevailing force, since it is not by 
might or power, but by God's spirit, that the text is im- 
pelled/' "The power of the word," says Emerson, "de- 
pends upon the power of the man who stands behind it." 
But the power of God's word depends upon the power of 
the Spirit that stands behind it, its inspirer and its abiding 
energizer." 

The presence of these factors always and everywhere 
postulates success. They may not all be found in one 
man, in the above order, or in equal 'degree. Neither 
may one be as potent as another. With these, as with the 
laborers in the vineyard, the first may be last and the last 
first. Nevertheless, they are factors which are to be 
found in some order, number and degree in the pastorate 

245 



of all men who have achieved greatness therein, and they 
must ever be taken into account in making up the sum 
total of those integers which enter prominently into the 
problem of an efficient ministry. Therefore, seek these 
excellencies for yourself, and be enboldened by the suc- 
cess of others to press toward the same goal of minis- 
terial achievement that you be neither "barren nor un- 
fruitful in the work of the Lord." 



246 



CHAPTER XII. 



FINISHING THE COURSE WITH JOY. 



"O blest retirement, friend to life's decline, 
How blest is he, who crowns . . 
A youth of labor with an age of ease." 

In the passing of King Arthur, the hero of the round 
table, the Poet Tennyson affectingly describes how the 
Knight leaves the familiar scenes of Camelot and his 
companion in arms ; until he himself lies wounded on the 
shores of the "inland mere." Everything and everybody 
has gone from him, except his trusty sword "Excalibur." 
This alone remains. And alas ! the time has come when 
to this long tried and trusty friend he must say adieu. It 
is when he parts with this that the words and the scene 
become extremely pathetic and touching. So also is the 
scene so beautifully described by the divine narrator of 
the passing of Aaron, God's first great High Priest. We 
see the solemn procession of three — Moses, Aaron, Elea- 
zar — ascending in silence the rugged sides of Mount Hor 
by the sea. We pause by their side, as reaching its high- 
est peak, they come to a halt. We watch in wonderment 
as the disrobing of this man of God takes place. Not a 
word is spoken as brother and son assist in divesting 
Aaron of his priestly habiliaments. The mitre is taken 
from his hoary head, the crozier from his trembling hand, 
breastplate with Urin and Thummin from his manly 
breast, and the mantle from his aged shoulders, now too 
weak to bear the burdens and responsibilities longer of 
so high an office as God's prophet to men. Piece after 
piece of his sacerdotal dress is removed, until the old man, 

247 



without a murmur, stands forth unrobed. Then in turn 
we see him, as with willing hands he begins to place and 
adjust them, piece after piece upon the person of his son, 
cheerfully assisting in the ordination of his successor and 
the transference of his priestly office. The task com- 
pleted, he speaks his farewells and benedictions, turns 
aside to talk with Jehovah, with whom Moses and Eleazar 
leave him in delightful and lasting communion, with life's 
work well done, and his immortal crown well won. And 
so it always is, when the time comes for man — whether 
as knight, craftsman, or preacher to pass — in leaving the 
scenes of his struggle and the implements with which he 
has wrought. Men look forward to retirement with keen 
expectation and anticipative joy. They meet it, when it 
comes, with tardy welcome and with bated breath. But 
meet it they must. How they meet it is significant and 
important, whether with joy or otherwise, even though it 
be not always attended with the same interest as "when." 
Since, then, the hour will come when even the man 
of God, flushed with success and crowned with laurels, or 
crushed by defeat and wreathless, must retire from the 
active scenes of his labor, it is pertinent for us to inquire, 
"When should this event take place"? That there is no 
unit of time by which to measure and adjust all cases, is 
clearly evident. We may observe that some men become 
physically old and decrepid, while others at their stage of 
life are hale and strong. The same is true of men men- 
tally. Then again, we have seen how some ministers be- 
come side tracked and retire, before their time comes in 
the order of nature. It is of those who continue in the 
race, and run to the end, with whom we are now con- 
cerned. The others are not so fortunate as to finish the 
course. While others may be called without any respite 
to their eternal reward. The question then recurs, touch- 
ing those who remain and continue in the path of duty, 
"when shall they retire"? Where there is an absence of 

248 



time limit set by the Church within whose pale they serve, 
the answer we give is, not so long as they can with any 
goodly degree of efficiency and acceptibility labor in the 
Master's vineyard. 

Much has been said and written about the ministerial 
dead line, by which is meant the line of demarcation be- 
tween the living and the dead man in the pulpit and the 
pastorate of a church. It has been confidently asserted 
that this dreaded line is reached when fifty summers and 
winters have passed over the man's head. But this is a 
mistake. Many men are then in their prime. That some 
are in the sere and yellow leaf long before this both in 
the ministry and out of the ministry is strictly true. But 
no generalization based upon this would be fair or ac- 
curate. If because a professional man, a doctor, a law- 
yer, or a statesman is prematurely old at fifty, a rule 
should be established that all men in those professions 
should retire at that age from active duties, some of the 
most able of their number would be prematurely laid 
aside. An injustice would be done the profession, and 
the people would fail to derive from the services of these 
men that aptness and proficiency, which experience and 
practice uniformally bring. 

In the army and in the courts of law, the soldier lays 
aside his armor and his command and the judge his er- 
mine and baton of office at seventy. And there are in- 
stances where this cast iron rule, imposed by law and cus- 
tom, removes men more qualified to command and ren- 
der judicial decisions than many who remain in effective 
relations. Some men at this age are like Moses, when he 
was nigh twice seventy. Their eye is not dimmed, neither 
is their natural strength abated. 

The minister, all other things being equal, should 
never contemplate retirement until the snows of seventy 
winters frost his hair, and the cares of seventy years fur- 
row his brow. The joy of the Lord is his strength, and 

249 



like the eagle he should renew his youth. He will be 
active, energetic, and useful, up to this period of life, if he 
will only take care of his health, be a student, and work 
diligently. Unless of course some providential occur- 
rence interpose to lay him aside for a time, or prematurely 
retire him. Over such an occurrence no human vigilance 
or skill can exercise any controlling influence. In such 
a case a man may bow his head submissively and rever- 
ently say with Eli, "It is the Lord, let him do what seem- 
eth him good." 

Says a recent writer on this subject, "The dead line 
in the clerical profession seems constantly to grow more 
fixed and more difficult to surmount." This line is drawn 
about the age of fifty, and the recognition of it is now so 
general, that it is a common thing to say of a minister, 
that he has crossed the dead line, or he is nearing the 
dead line. Rev. Dr. Theodore L. Cuyler writes of it with 
feeling, finding his text in the recent death of an excellent 
and eminent minister of the gospel, who "had served the 
interests of his denomination with peculiar zeal and fidel- 
ity, had successfully occupied the pastorate of one of their 
prominent churches in a large city, had written editorials 
for one of their leading journals, and been conspicuous in 
their ecclesiastical affairs/' nevertheless, during the clos- 
ing years of his life could find no church which would 
have him for its settled pastor, although he earnestly 
sought one. Why was such a clergyman prematurely 
shelved? "Simply and solely," Dr. Cuyler declares, "be- 
cause he was between fifty and sixty years old." Nor was 
this an exceptional case, for "many others as good and 
gifted as he are shelved from the pastorate on account 
of an arbitrary and abominable law of limitations that is 
applied to no other calling, secular or sacred, but the 
Christian 'ministry." 

This clerical dead line is really one of the most re- 
markable things in our modern life. In law, in medicine, 

250 



in business, in public life, age only helps a man, and in- 
deed at fifty a man in any other occupation is not thought 
of as an old man. It is only in the ministry that the 
fledgling secures the most desirable position when he 
enters his profession and finds himself thrust aside as 
superannuated at a period of life when other men are 
called still young, or in the prime of life. However, it is 
a somewhat hopeful sign that there seems to be at the 
present time a backward drift towards ministers of age 
and experience. In some of the large cities, the men in 
the prinicpal pulpits of various denominations are many 
of them, at least, three-score years, and a few three-score 
and ten. Dr. Storrs sometime ago concluded a ministry 
of over a half a century, and to the last continued to 
preach to large audiences with great power and accepta- 
bility. So much so that he was regarded as a prince of 
pulpit orators in the city of churches. What is true of 
him may likewise be affirmed of numerous others in the 
same and other cities. Let Talmage, Meredith and Mc- 
Ilvaine stand for a long, illustrious line too numerous to 
mention, who are preaching the Gospel as vigorously at 
sixty and seventy as they did when they were not more 
than half that age. 

Again, take the Board of Bishops in the Catholic, 
Protestant Episcopal, and M. E. Churches, and it will 
be found that most of their members are past the so-called 
ministerial age limit. But considering the work they do 
at confirmations, dedications, and conferences, they are 
anything but dead. If it be so with these men upon 
whom comes the "care of all the churches/' how much 
more should it be with men in the settled pastorate, who 
have such abundant opportunities for self-culture, and 
time for larger and fresher preparations, as the years roll 
on ! They should never reach the dead line, unless provi- 
dentially and prematurely disabled, until they come to the 
border line which skirts the City of Gold. 

251 



When this point is reached, in some churches pro- 
vision is made for an easy and gradual laying aside of the 
armor, piece by piece. The pastor is continued in the 
relation of one who has served his time, but not wholly 
severed his pastoral connection. He is known as "pastor 
emeritus" of the church which he served faithfully in the 
days of his younger manhood. He has a semi-official re- 
lation to it, and receives from its members personal gifts, 
or from the church itself a small income. Thus kept in 
light harness he is able to do some of the lighter work 
so dear to his heart, and is saved from worry on account 
of support by the half or quarter pay accruing to him 
which meets his recurring needs. 

In some other religious denominations, where this 
office of pastor emeritus does not obtain, there is one 
which closely corresponds to it. Thus, for example, in 
the M. E. Church there is the "supernumerary relation, " 
a middle relation between effectiveness and superannua- 
tion. That is, between the position which calls for full 
work on full pay, and no work on no pay. To this list 
many men retire for rest and recuperation before reach- 
ing the end of their ministry. To this they look forward 
as the step* they hope to take when that end is in sight. 
In this relation they are at liberty to do supply work, or 
travel as evangelists, or pastoral helpers, or as gleaners in 
the Lord's fields, following the harvesters and gathering 
a few sheaves by the wayside. 

We are fully convinced that if these relations of pas- 
tor emeritus, supernumerary and kindred others, were 
more wisely employed by the Churches and retiring min- 
isters, they would be to the advantage of the men and the 
lasting honor of the Churches. There are, however, some 
very formidable hindrances in the way of a vigorous and 
judicious utilization of these positions. The churches 
under a congregational form of government are declining 
to invite men to become pastors who are beginning to 

252 



show signs of advancing age. The reason is that the offi- 
ciary fear such men will continue to serve these respective 
parishes until they are entirely incapacitated to serve 
others. It would not look humane then, much less chris- 
tian, to thrust them off with no visible means of support. 
Therefore, to keep them on means to support them in the 
relation of pastor emeritus. To do this is to add an addi- 
tional financial burden to the local church, which is barely 
able to keep up the running expenses and support the 
pastor in charge. What can it do then with an additional 
pastor on half pay? That this is a problem as yet un- 
solved is evident from the numerous methods which have 
been devised for its solution. The only equitable dispo- 
sition of the difficulties which cluster around this whole 
matter is for the Church, which employs a minister for 
any number of years, to contribute to a fund a certain 
per centum for each year of service that the man has 
given to that particular field of labor. Then the burden 
of his support will be equally distributed among the 
churches of which he has been pastor. 

In other religious denominations with other polities, 
some such provision should be made for those who are 
laying aside the implements of toil, either in whole or in 
part. The supernumerary relation is a little different 
from that of superannuation. Hence, if ministers cannot 
enter it, and continue in it, at the close of their more 
active years of service, doing a little for their Lord and 
Master whenever opportunity permits, it will then be 
their privilege to become superannuated. Of this relation 
I shall write somewhat more explicitly. The term itself 
means in plain Anglo-Saxon, worn out. The implication 
is that the man who enters it is old, feeble, and unfit for 
further stated toil in the Lord's vineyard. Now what 
shall be done with him? What provision is made for him 
by the Church? It is barely possible that he has been 
able to lay aside a little money for this period of enforced 

253 



ildeness and 'comparative penury. If so he is among the 
more fortunate of his brethren. Comparatively tew are 
able to do this. But whether he has or has not, does not 
release the Church from certain obligations which are 
binding upon it. If he were an old horse we might be 
humane enough to turn him out to grass, and keep him 
with fodder and shelter, at least until the end comes, 
which is not far distant, to release us of any further re- 
sponsibility. 

But even in the case of the horse, the fodder and 
barn room must be paid for by his former owner, whose 
servant he was. So much as this is not always done for 
the old preachers. They are turned out. Yes, that is so. 
But to what? Why to the common of the world's charity. 
If they are able to peddle books, or vend medicines, or do 
a little work in a store, or on a farm, by which to eke out 
a bare subsistence, well and good. If they have children 
who can support them, so much the better. The churches 
they have served have lost sight of them. The work they 
did is forgotten. And they themselves are as though they 
were not, so far as grateful remembrances from these 
parishes are concerned. 

It is cause for devout gratitude to the "Supreme 
Head" of the Church that at last a more bountiful pro- 
vision is being made for its worn out servants. Funds are 
being raised and invested, the interest of which is to be 
used in paying these men — not only when totally desti- 
tute — a small pittance, but to pay them annually a stated 
stipend, pro rata with their years of active service. This 
is a commendable thing to do. These funds ought to in- 
crease until there shall not be a superannuated preacher 
in the land for whom a comfortable support cannot be 
furnished, and every effective preacher should consider it 
a privilege to make annual contributions to it. 

It is not the part of the prudent man, seeing the day 
cometh when he can no longer work and earn his daily 

254 



bread, to make no provision for the same. Self help in 
laying aside a portion of one's salary during the years of 
health and service is the best kind of help. In this as in 
other duties which devolve upon men in the Church, God 
will help those who help themselves. To spend all in 
these years of plenty is to find with the prodigal that no 
man will give unto you in the day when famine comes. 
It therefore behooves you, if it is at all possible, to lay up 
something so that you will not be entirely dependent upon 
the funds of the Church. In this way you can maintain 
that manly independence which is always so desirable, 
and help your own unfortunate brethren by leaving more 
money in the treasury for them. 

When the time of superannuation has fully come, 
accept the inevitable gracefully. If it were possible for 
me, I would picture it as it should be, not as I fear it too 
often is. Candor and cheerfulness should characterize 
it. Do not be disposed to think that now you are out of 
the harness the King's chariot will come to a halt. 
Neither regard the time as out of joint. Now is the op- 
portunity for you to show your courtesy to the younger 
brethren. They will do the work of the Lord, perhaps, 
in a different way from what you did it. Nevertheless, it 
will doubtless be His work. Let them do it, in their way, 
without criticising or censuring them ; just as you wanted 
to do the work when you began in your way, and not al- 
together in the way of the fathers. The right kind of a 
worn out preacher on a charge is a constant inspiration 
to a young pastor. The other, to say the least of him, is 
very undesirable. You will not be such an one I trow. 

When old age is creeping on do not be ashamed of 
it. Remember "a hoary head is a crown of glory in the 
way of life.^ Neither give way to its encroachments to 
an unnecessary degree. There have been found in every 
age and in every walk of life vigorous old men. There 
are such today, although this is a fast age and men wear 

255 



out more quickly, on the whole, than formerly. Yet no 
class of men should look forward to a lusty old age with 
a brighter prospect of its happy realization than those 
who have spent their lives in the service of the Church of 
God. Indeed, it has been demonstrated that the work of 
the ministry is conducive, on the whole, to longevity. 
Not only so, it also leaves men, when retirement is forced 
upon them, in a better physical and mental condition 
than the wear and tear of many other professions and 
trades have been found to do. If Gladstone could write 
on the '"Homeric Age" at seventy, so could Baxter, at a 
like period, his comforting "Saint's Rest." If Bismarck 
could write state papers at the age of three-score years, 
so Milton, when old and blind, could write his immortal 
"Paradise Lost." If Dr. Johnson could master new lan- 
guages when well advanced in years, so could Dr. Watts. 
So then, when laid off, keep up some general course of 
reading or studying. Write occasionally to the Church 
and secular papers for the public good. 

"Let no man think achievement is not for him simply 
because his family records sums up his years to a threat- 
ening total." "The sixties," said Red Jacket, to his 
braves, "have all the twenties and forties in them." 

"Cato learned Greek at eighty; Sophocles 
Wrote grand Oedipus, and Simonides 
Bore off the prize of verse from his compeers 
When each had numbered more than four-score years* 
And Theopharastus at fourscore and ten 
Had but begun his 'Characters of Men/ 
Chaucer at Woodstock with nightingales 
At sixty wrote the 'Canterbury Tales/ 
Goethe at Weimar, toiling to the last, 
Completed Faust when eighty years were past." 

History resounds with the performances of men 
whose years numbered three-score or more. "My Cid, 
with the fleecy beard," driving the Moors from Spain; 
Dandolo, Doge of Venice at ninety and storming Con- 

256 



stantinople at ninety-four; and in our own time Von 
Moltke at seventy, conducting a campaign unparalleled 
for brilliancy and result in the history of war. These are 
feats of arms, would you search other fields? In science 
there are Darwin and Spencer and Pasteur, and if you 
go back a little, Sir Isaac Newton, who could make a 
discovery for every one of his eighty years. It was Vol- 
taire w r ho said that if all the great men of all ages could 
be assembled in a congress, Sir Isaac Newton would be 
chosen to preside by unanimous consent. In literature 
and art the names of those who in advanced years won 
imperishable renown are legion. Everybody can recall 
their names. Milton wrote his great epic when nearly 
sixty, Michael Angelo at eighty won the triple crown for 
excellence in painting, sculpture and architecture ; Brown- 
ing at seventy wrote his most characteristic poem, and 
Tennyson at eighty-one gave to the world the most ex- 
quisite of his lyrics. Pope Leo the XIII, as the prince of 
ecclesiastical diplomats, at ninety issues his allocutions 
to world-wide Catholicism. With such a galaxy of bril- 
liant and illustrious examples, culled from the various 
epochs of history and from many of the literary and 
scientific professions, let no minister of the Word fear to 
undertake new and arduous studies, or regard advanced 
age as a limitation to the highest attainment and effi- 
ciency within his calling. 

Do not do as some ministers have done, as soon as 
they cease to preach, cease to read, sell their library, and 
with nothing to do pass a miserable time of it themselves 
and make everybody else miserable around them. If you 
need bread, and have no other resources, then sell your 
books. Keep them, however, as long as you can. You 
will find that they will cheer you with their presence. 
And, ever and anon, as you take up one to glance at its 
contents, some mark, or some favorite passage will cause 
a flood of memory to come rushing back over the tide of 

257 



years which will lave your weary brow, and make you 
young again. Renew these acquaintances of former 
years. Let them take the places of the friends and loved 
ones of youth who, one after another, have been quietly 
slipping the cables for the evergreen shores. 

It is important, however, that this period should be 
one of rest and quietness, so far as it can be made such. 
To accomplish this it will be advisable not to over-tax 
either the mental faculties or the physical powers. It is 
difficult, as I learn from observing old preachers particu- 
larly, to keep calm and cool and well poised. The mind 
has moments when it is unusually active, while at the 
same time the body is enervated. Much care needs to 
be exercised when these two are not in exact equipoise. 
If it is not, either the brain, like a sharp sword, will 
quickly wear out the scabbard, the body; or the body 
will be, which is still worse, a swordless sheath. Let rest 
then be sought, and quietness and peace and calm. These 
have been earned and should be fully possessed and 
enjoyed. 

If retirement brings rest, it also brings in its turn a 
full release. Slowly and surely nature and grace have 
been making silent preparation for this. 

'Tar other is this battle, in the West, 
Whereto we move, than when we strove in youth, 
Yet let us hence, and find or feel a way, 
Thro' this blind haze." 

If with Saint Paul, we have fought the good fight, kept 
the faith, and finished the course, this release will not be 
wholly undesirable, we shall find that to depart and be 
with Christ will be far better. 

How calmly and how joyously the Apostle contem- 
plated it. He looked forward to it as the sailor looks for- 
ward to the return voyage. He is simply homeward 
bound. Hence, his language, "the time of my departure 
is at hand," that is, the time for casting off the shore line 

258 



has come, and with sail set to catch the favoring breeze 2 
and bow-sprit turned seaward, to make the elysian shore. 
True it was to him, and is to us, an "undiscovered coun- 
try.'' But it is, and its foundations are eternal. There 
need be no doubt about it. Though unseen by human 
eye, "by faith we can see it afar." "And the Father waits 
over the way to prepare us a dwelling place there." It is 
that better land, ever the heavenly, toward which, with 
earnest hope and strong desire, we have been laboring. 
Toward these blessed shores we have pointed the prow 
of those airy crafts which have carried from our view the 
forms of many loved ones. They, with us, may have said 
in the days of their feebleness and doubt, in the beautiful 
words of Whittier, 

"I know not what the future hath 
Of marvel or surprise, 
Assured alone that life and death 
His mercy underlies. " 

But each one could further say, as he contemplated God's 
goodness and care, 

"And so beside the silent sea 

I wait the muffled oar, 
No harm from him can come to me 

On ocean or on shore. 
I know not where his islands lift 

Their fronded palms in air, 
I only know I cannot drift 

Beyond his love and care." 

It is a release from toil, from sickness and sorrow. It is 
rest for the weary, home for the wanderer, and discharge 
to the soldier. And if good Dr. Preston could say, as the 
shadows of the valley deepened around him : "Blessed be 
God ! though I change my place, I shall not change my 
company, for I have walked with God while living, and 
now I go to rest with God ;" so we shall be able to say, 
if like Preston, Keen, Peck, Wiley, Haven, Moody and 

259 



countless other saintly ministers of the Word, we have 
walked and talked 'with God here. 

To such death is not an extermination, but a blessed 
immortality and eternal life. It is to bid farewell to earth, 
but to receive a royal welcome to that house of many 
mansions which Christ, our forerunner, has gone to pre- 
pare for all those who love and serve Him. It is to hear 
Him say: "Come ye blessed of my Father, inherit the 
kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the 
world." It is to receive the reward promised to those who 
are faithful unto death, even a crown of everlasting life. 

Let us so labor then that we may finish our course 
with joy. That Ave may close our labors and our 
lives with the consciousness that we have done 
what we could in our day and generation in 
the service of our Lord and Master. And that 
"henceforth there is laid up for usi a crown of righteous- 
ness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give us 
at that day, and not to us only but unto all them that love 
his appearing." So may it be to the readers and writer 
of this book. Then shall we say with the redeemed of all 
ages, as we surround the great white throne : "Unto him 
that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own 
blood, and hath made us kings and priests unto God and 
his Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and 
ever. Amen." 



260 



Dec 14 1901 



JUN 22 1900 



1 COPY DEL. TO CAT. DIV. 
DEC. 14 1901 



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